DraftKings to launch sports, entertainment-themed NFT collectibles marketplace

DraftKings revealed Wednesday that it plans to launch DraftKings Marketplace: a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility, that offers curated non-fungible token (NFT) drops and supports secondary-market transactions.

Through this new product, customers will be able to buy, sell and trade digital collectibles across sports, entertainment and culture using their existing DraftKings account.

DraftsKings Marketplace will also be the new distributor of NFT content from NFT platform Autograph, a startup co-founded by NFL quarterback Tom Brady, as a part of a new strategic relationship which leverages official licensing of athletes and celebrities.

The initial drops on DraftKings Marketplace for USD purchase will be the “Pre-Season access” collection, which will showcase NFTs of athletes from Autograph, while also giving fans the chance to obtain preferred access to future releases.

ICYMI: DK Marketplace is coming soon. Learn about our newest innovation in the NFT space in partnership with @Autograph .

Read more: https://t.co/6hCct08SXo pic.twitter.com/XVshUXzQiX

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) July 21, 2021

Autograph’s advisory board will help design custom NFTs exclusively for Autograph, which will be available later this summer via DraftKings Marketplace drops. While the latter will be the exclusive purveyor of sports NFTs from Autograph, the alliance may eventually branch into other verticals like entertainment, lifestyle and culture.

Autograph recently teamed up with Lionsgate to derive NFT content from films and television series.

DraftKings co-founder and president, Matt Kalish, spoke through a press release about the company’s new product. “The NFT boom has reinvented the collectibles industry and driven excitement to early-adopting audiences worldwide, including the DraftKings community”, he said. “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”.

He also addressed the new collaboration with Autograph and described it as “a vital first step as we enter the emergent NFT market”.

Dillion Rosenblatt, Founder and CEO of Autograph, spoke about the new product in alliance with DraftKings and reflected: “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”.