The NFL is launching fantasy football NFTs in a partnership with DraftKings

• DraftKings and the NFL Players Associate have partnered to launch gamified NFTs, which will be incorporated into DraftKings fantasy football platform.
• The deal grants DraftKings licensing rights for the name, image, and likeness of active NFL players.

The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and DraftKings have partnered to launch gamified non-fungible tokens for the 2022-2023 season, DraftKings press release.

As part of the deal, DraftKings will hold licensing rights for active NFL players, and the NFTs can be minted using a player's name, image, and likeness. Consumers can expect to use these collectibles on the DraftKings server, and also buy and sell them on other platforms.

"The future of fandom is unfolding in front of us, and few organizations beyond DraftKings are as equipped to capitalize on the increasing intersection between sports and NFTs that will be cornerstones of engagement and entertainment within Web3," said Beth Beiriger, senior vice president of product operations for DraftKings Marketplace.

DraftKings is the official daily fantasy and sports-betting partner of the NFL, as well as the NBA, MLB, and a range of other professional sports leagues. Joining the partnership is OneTeam, the licensing partner of the NFLPA, which will help launch digital collections on the DraftKings Marketplace.

The NFTs will feature different tiers of scarcity and editions, and fans will be able to incorporate the NFTs in DraftKings fantasy football games.

Sports leagues and pro athletes are making deep inroads into the digital asset and collectibles space as a way to generate more revenue from fanbases. The deal with DraftKings follows a previous NFL blockchain partnership with Polygon for virtual commemorative tickets. Similarly, NBA Top Shots has become one of the largest NFT marketplaces.

On Monday, football legend Tom Brady announced his latest release of NFTs highlighting his early-career milestones.

"We will continuously adapt, innovate and seek progressive collaborators…to reach early adopters among fanbases and ultimately introduce these next-generation products to the masses," Beiriger said.