DraftKings has come a long way since it started life as startup in a garage back in 2012. After dominating the daily fantasy sports market, and occupying a massive chunk of the US sports betting market, the company is entering a new market; non fungible tokens (NFT). Earlier this week, the innovative gaming company announced that it will be launching a new, full service NFT marketplace to service this emerging collectibles sector.
NFTs, for those who are unfamiliar with the concept, are original pieces of art and collectibles whose originality is verified by the same Blockchain technology used in Bitcoin.
DraftKings is partnering with an existing NFT platform called Autograph on the deal and will be the exclusive distributor of Autograph’s content. The NFT marketplace will also allow end-users to buy and sell NFT in a manner that’s similar to eBay. The company will also feature a series of sports-related NFTs called, the “Pre-Season Access” collection.
In a statement reported on by iGB North America, Autograph chief executive and founder Dillon Rosenblatt touted the future of NFTs saying, “As the world becomes more comfortable with digital ownership and collection, we see an incredible opportunity to bring users high-quality and personalized content from their favorite athletes, artists and franchises.”
“NFTs are the perfect medium to connect users to both the things they love and those who share those interests, and we want to leverage today’s incredible partnerships to provide continued value to our community.”
Matt Kalish, DraftKings Co-Founder and President was similarly bullish on the future of NFTs saying, “The NFT boom has reinvented the collectibles industry and driven excitement to early-adopting audiences worldwide – including the DraftKings community.”
“DraftKings Marketplace will sit at the center of this technological and cultural phenomenon, providing our immense existing customer base with an easily accessible experience that rivals all legacy marketplaces. This initial vision in collaboration with Autograph, and its coveted collection of official digital collectibles, is a vital first step as we enter the emergent NFT market.”
Company officials said that more details of the new DraftKings NFT marketplace would be announced next month.