Manchester City football club recently initiated a partnership with cryptocurrency exchange OKX to launch a series of two digital collectibles or non-fungible tokens (NFTs) linked to the club’s commemorative football shirts.
Dubbed ‘Unseen City Shirts’, OKX released the first edition of the commemorative Manchester City football shirts on its marketplace on April 22 for the club’s fans and other users to mint.
Also known as ‘The Roses and the Bees’, the minting window of this groundbreaking collection ended on April 25. Designed by artist Christian Jeffery, the digital collectibles had different rarity levels comprising classic, rare or ultra-rare.
Notably, fans who participated in the minting campaign stand the chance to obtain physical City jerseys, featuring the Lancashire rose and Manchester worker bee emblems, as well as play-on-pitch experiences and match tickets. However, prizes to be won depend on the rarity of the digital collectible minted by a user. This NFT-jersey initiative represents a novel approach to sports collectibles and fan engagement.
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Second edition of Unseen City Shirts unveiled
According to a press release, the English football club and OKX unveiled the second edition of two ‘Unseen City Shirts’ digital collectibles today. Labeled ‘Blue Moon’, this new collection showcases City’s commemorative football jerseys designed by artist Charli Cohen.
The digital collectibles have been made available on OKX’s web3 marketplace for Manchester City fans worldwide to mint in the form of NFTs. Notably, the second collection contains 5 ultra-rare NFTs, 20 rare NFTs and limited classic NFTs.
Akin to the first ‘Unseen City Shirts’ digital collectible designed by Jeffery, fans who mint will receive different real-world rewards and exclusive prizes depending on the rarity minted. These include “a limited-edition physical version of the specially designed football shirt and tickets to Manchester City matches,” as per the update.
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OKX and Manchester City partnership
Haider Rafique, chief marketing officer (CMO) at OKX, and Nuria Tarre, CMO at City Football Group (Proprietors of Manchester City), discussed the details of their new NFT initiative in a statement.
Rafique explained that an algorithm determines rarity levels, with the most exclusive NFTs potentially granting opportunities such as playing at the Etihad Stadium and premium match tickets.
Tarre highlighted the importance of digital ownership, stating “Owning something digitally changes how fans connect with the club.” She expressed Manchester City’s commitment to leveraging new web technologies to enhance the fan experience.
Since sealing their partnership in March 2022, OKX’s presence with Manchester City has expanded significantly. In June 2022, OKX became the club’s official sleeve partner, sponsoring the club’s training and matchday kits. The deepening relationship signals their ongoing pursuit of novel fan engagement worldwide.
Moreover, the partnership is a key component of City’s strategy to integrate emerging technologies into the fan experience, having previously ventured into platforms like Roblox. Rafique described the past three years as focused on “building a system, not just making products,” suggesting that more innovations are forthcoming.
Their latest NFT partnership marks a new frontier for sports collectibles, where these NFTs blend digital assets with real-world experiences, exemplifying the convergence of sports and technology in enhancing fan enthusiasm.
Related: Adidas Launches NFT Program To Support Web3 Digital Artists
Impact on Manchester City Fan Token, CITY
Amid these positive developments, the price of the Manchester City fan token (CITY) has remained in a downtrend. Coinmarketcap data shows that CITY has plunged by over 20% and 6% in the past seven and 30 days. At the time of writing, the low-cap cryptocurrency is changing hands at $3.17, down 4.3% in the past 24 hours.
Speculatively, the price of CITY could rebound in the near term due to a few factors. First, if the ‘Unseen City Shirts’ NFT project turns out successful, it could fuel optimism for the token. Moreover, broader crypto market bullish sentiment and potential regulatory developments may also influence CITY’s price trajectory.
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