DraftKings Inc has revealed plans to launch DraftKings Marketplace, a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT (non-fungible token) drops and supports secondary-market transactions.
DraftKings customers will have the ability to seamlessly buy, sell and trade digital collectibles across sports, entertainment, and culture using their existing DraftKings account once the marketplace launches.
As part of a new strategic relationship, DraftKings Marketplace will also be the exclusive distributor of NFT content from NFT platform Autograph, which leverages the official licensing of notable athletes and celebrities to provide a wide array of digital collectibles.
Matt Kalish, DraftKings Co-Founder and President, stated: “The NFT boom has reinvented the collectibles industry and driven excitement to early-adopting audiences worldwide – including the DraftKings community.
“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. 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.”
DraftKings Marketplace’s initial drops for USD purchase will be the “Pre-Season Access” collection, showcasing NFTs of legendary athletes from Autograph’s roster of talent and partners while also allowing fans to obtain preferred access to future releases.
It will also serve as a secondary-sale platform where users can buy, sell and trade digital collectibles bought within the marketplace community.
Dillon Rosenblatt, Founder and CEO of Autograph, added: “As the world becomes more comfortable with digital ownership and collection, we see an incredible opportunity to bring users high-quality and personalized content from their favorite athletes, artists, and franchises.
“NFTs are the perfect medium to connect users to both the things they love and those who share those interests, and we want to leverage today’s incredible partnerships to provide continued value to our community.”
Autograph’s advisory board will help design custom NFTs exclusively for the platform that will be released later this summer via DraftKings Marketplace drops. While the marketplace will be the exclusive purveyor of sports NFTs from Autograph, the collaboration may eventually branch into other verticals like entertainment, lifestyle, and culture.
Further details about DraftKings Marketplace will be announced next month.
