DraftKings to target NFTs with new marketplace hub
Sports betting heavyweight agrees exclusive distribution deal with Autograph for new platform allowing account holders to buy, sell, and trade digital collectibles
DraftKings has confirmed plans to launch a new digital marketplace aiming to capitalize on the recent trend towards non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
The soon-to-be launched DraftKings Marketplace will offer curated NFT drops while also supporting secondary-market transactions between users.
The firm has said its customers will be able to buy, sell, and trade digital collectibles from a variety of sectors including sport, entertainment, and culture using their existing DraftKings account.
As a part of the rollout, DraftKings has inked a strategic relationship deal with NFT platform Autograph to become the firm’s exclusive distributor of sports-related NFT content.
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Autograph was co-founded by seven-time NFL Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, husband of DraftKings ESG advisor and former Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen.
Autograph uses official licensing of prominent athletes and celebrities to produce digital collectibles which can be bought and sold.
NFT collections will become available for purchase on DraftKings Marketplace through drops where customers can join queues to access. Customers can also list the NFTs they bought on DraftKings Marketplace at a chosen sale price for other customers to then purchase.
Under the terms of the deal, Autograph’s advisory board will design custom NFTs exclusively for use on the DraftKings Marketplace site which is slated to launch later this year.
The initial drops on DraftKings Marketplace for USD purchase will be the “Pre-Season Access” collection, which will showcase NFTs of athletes from Autograph’s roster of talent and partners while also giving users a chance to obtain preferred access to future releases.
Speaking about the new drive into NFTs, DraftKings co-founder and president Matt Kalish hailed NFTs as reinventing the collectibles industry and serving as an exciting tool to gain new customers via early-adopting businesses.
“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,” Kalish said.
“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.
“We aim to usher in this new era by introducing millions of collectors to this evolving space while providing beloved content through an intuitive interface built to win over the long term,” the DraftKings co-founder added.