Everton and fashion focused non-fungible token (NFT) startup Fancurve are creating digital shirts for fans of the English soccer club to wear with the digital avatar in the metaverse.
The partnership is Fancurve’s first in the Premier League and builds on a similar arrangement it announced earlier this year with Spanish soccer outfit Real Betis – its first club deal of any kind.
The ‘unique, photo-realistic custom collections’ are pitched as high-end digital collectibles, designed by Fancurve’s in-house team of 3D fashion designers, with influences drawn from Everton’s history.
Using original designs rather than replica kits will allow Fancurve to offer more unique items with variable rarities, while also avoiding the challenges of using third-party intellectual property. It also ensures the NFTs are not dated by specific seasons.
The shirts will be sold exclusively on Fancurve’s online platform and there is no need for an understanding of cryptocurrency or related technologies. The aim is to make it as easy to purchase a digital jersey as it would be a physical one from the official club shop and Fancurve accepts debit and credit card payments.
Partner clubs have the option to add utility to their NFTs, while fans are free to trade their collectibles via Fancurve or on third party platforms. The company stresses, however, that its items are not designed for speculation.
“We are proud to be partnering with such a renowned Premier League club as Everton, with its fanatical fanbase and rich history,” said Chris Cook, senior vice president of partnerships at Everton.
“We are striving to be the largest and most innovative digital wearables platform for sports fans across the globe, and we see this partnership as one that can help Everton and its community grow, as we explore web 3.0 soccer fandom together.”
“We’re really pleased to welcome Fancurve to our growing partnership portfolio and are excited by the innovative opportunities that this partnership will present for the club and our supporters,” said Richard Kenyon, chief commercial and communications officer at Everton.
Fancurve raised US$6.25 million in seed funding in April, with investors including soccer platform OneFootball and former German international soccer players André Schürrle and Mario Götze.