DraftKings and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) have collaborated on a new NFT collection inspired by the UFC, which will soon be available for fans to buy and trade digital collectibles of their favorite fighters.
To celebrate the launch of the new UFC collectibles, DraftKings is hosting a series of NFT games called Reignmakers, in which players can utilize their new UFC collectibles to compete for a wide range of special prizes.
The “Heatwave Series” on DraftKings will feature a number of drops and auctions for the NFTs; these drops will correlate with the UFC’s summer match program, starting with the Adesanya vs. Cannonier bout at UFC 276 on July 2, 2022.
DraftKings sees this as a great chance to branch out from their core business of online real money gaming. While the first set of NFTs will reward collectors with items tied to specific UFC events, the games that will accompany these items are still in the works but will include such elements as quests, levels, and leaderboards.
The Reignmakers UFC NFT games are scheduled to begin their inaugural “season” later in 2022.
DraftKings Marketplace will roll out the UFC collections in waves, with the most accessible NFTs aimed at newcomers appearing first. Reignmakers UFC NFTs, on the other hand, will be traded on the company’s internal secondary market.
The benefits, which will be access to unique daily fantasy games, will be determined by how useful the NFT is. Prizes for these competitions will range from cash to individualized items.
In order to make choices for the Reignmakers UFC collection, DraftKings Marketplace will have access to more than 500 athlete intellectual properties (IPs) from the active roster. The UFC is providing this access to its fans.
UFC senior v.p. of global consumer products Tracey Bleczinski is thrilled that DraftKings is expanding their agreement “to incorporate UFC into their highly anticipated Reignmakers gamified NFT collection.”
In addition, Bleczinski explains, “Reignmakers UFC will be a unique, innovative opportunity to create fan engagement that combines DraftKings’ expertise in digital sports entertainment with pioneering technology that features hundreds of UFC athletes, including some of the biggest names in the sport.”
We see these immersive technologies as strengthening the one-of-a-kind sports entertainment ecosystem we serve consumers and as rewarding their unmistakable passion, says DraftKings SVP for Production Operations Beth Beiriger. “Fight fans are already among the most engaged audiences.”
DraftKings is the first ever Official Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Partner in the United States and Canada for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the two organizations have been working together since March 2021. At a time when the UFC is increasing sales of fan memorabilia, the new deal expands their relationship into the metaverse and blockchain gambling space.
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