Manchester City, the Premier League football club, is set to launch an exciting new collection of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) that will offer fans the chance to win exclusive jerseys and matchday experiences. The campaign, titled “Unseen City Shirts,” is part of Manchester City’s long-term partnership with cryptocurrency exchange OKX. To participate, users can mint the digital collectibles on the OKX app and have the opportunity to win specially designed football shirts based on the rarity of the NFTs.
The limited edition jerseys, known as “The Roses and the Bees,” feature unique hand-painted elements by artist Christian Jeffery and incorporate the iconic Lancashire rose and Manchester worker bee designs. Haider Rafique, the global chief marketing officer of OKX, explains that the rarity of the NFTs is determined algorithmically. Five ultra-rare NFTs will grant the lucky winners access to a play-on-pitch experience, two tickets to a Manchester City match, and a limited-edition City shirt.
In addition, five rare NFTs will give fans the opportunity to enjoy a stadium tour experience, a hospitality ticket, and a “The Roses and the Bees” design jersey. OKX users can mint these NFTs for free on the OKX Marketplace.
Nuria Tarré, the chief marketing and fan experience officer of Manchester City, shared that the launch of NFTs is part of the club’s strategy to engage with a more tech-savvy audience that is open to new innovations and technology. Digital ownership is an exciting dimension that Manchester City aims to bring to its fans. Tarré further highlighted that the club will continue to explore the possibilities of Web3, both through its partnership with OKX and other avenues. In recent years, Manchester City has actively experimented with new technology in Web2 and metaverse environments.
OKX, led by Haider Rafique, has been actively pursuing high-profile sports partnerships, including those with Manchester City and Formula 1 team McLaren. Rafique explained that the past three years have been focused on laying the groundwork to provide utility to sports fans and Web3 users. By starting with basic NFTs attached to physical goods, the aim is to create a platform for more utility-based ecosystems.
OKX initially partnered with Manchester City in March 2022 and expanded its sponsorship by becoming the club’s official training kit partner for the 2022-2023 season. In June 2023, OKX secured a new deal to become City’s official sleeve partner in a multiyear agreement.
It is clear that the world of cryptocurrency and NFTs is making a significant impact in the realm of European football, with clubs like Manchester City leading the way in embracing this technological innovation.