NFTs and sports aren’t typically talked about in the same circles. The majority of mainstream audiences may consider investment in NFTs to be aesthetic-only purchases with little relevance to the drama of sports competitions. And, yet, sports leaders have been some of the most notable people to announce the adoption of blockchain technology. As the appetite for tokens grows, independent enthusiasts are also looking to connect the NFT and sports worlds.
15 Love, a tennis NFT project and launch pad with utility and ambitions in the metaverse, is attempting to create the home of the sport in Web3. During the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, NFT collectors and tennis fans will be able to purchase one of 7,777 unique 15 Love NFTs dedicated to the popular sport.
“There is huge excitement amongst the tennis community as we enter the NFT space,” Sabrina Stocker, the former Apprentice star and co-founder of 15 Love, said. “Passionate fans drive sports forward, and we’re immensely proud that 15 Love is the first company to create a range of NFT collectibles for tennis fans, allowing owners exclusive access to metaverse tennis events.”
This historic move for tennis will take place during the Wimbledon Championships and is designed to help build a tennis community in the metaverse. Access to top professionals, legends, and tennis experts, who will act as ambassadors and attend virtual events, is among the top attractions on offer.
Co-founder Sabrina Stocker’s company Metaverse Media is involved with the project and has established itself in the NFT and blockchain industry in recent times. Stocker has well-placed experience as the company’s CEO and nearly two decades of involvement with tennis as a player, coach, and events entrepreneur in the USA and the UK. In addition, she was a candidate on BBC’s The Apprentice, reaching the Final Five in 2018.
Since then, she has been featured in Forbes, has built a following of 50,000 on social media, and was the youngest Top 10 Female Entrepreneur named by Apple News. She now has over 40 staff to help 15 Love reach its full potential, mainly involved in tennis, marketing, the metaverse, and NFTs.
In addition, co-founder Kyle Stocker is a world-ranked tennis player on the ITF circuit and has been integral to the project due to his knowledge and contacts within the tennis world and knowledge in the NFT space. He has taken a step back from his professional sports career to invest time and expertise into the project.
A virtual tennis Hall of Fame and a 3D stadium are a few additional experiences to be made available to NFT holders. Co-founders have designed the project and launch pad’s perks to increase fan engagement and highlight the benefits of being a collector. The exact public launch details will be available on the 15 Love NFT website nearer the mint (release).
Each uniquely designed digital tennis racquet NFT is registered as a unique token on the Ethereum blockchain, where all transactions are recorded. Though the 15 Love NFT collection is a limited availability opportunity and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, the community can buy and sell them using OpenSea.
“Building a tennis community is at the heart of everything we do, and we believe our fans will embrace this new technology,” Sabrina said. “They have the opportunity to own a unique piece of tennis history. As a result, we think this move into Web3 will be hugely popular with them.”
“The whole team is excited about launching the first tennis NFT in the metaverse,” co-founder Kyle Stocker added. “Our NFT has lots of utility attached, and we believe we can create the home of tennis in Web3.”
NFTs are digital assets and collectibles with authenticity and rarity that are independently guaranteed, verified, and secured on the blockchain. Unlike most digital content, which is temporarily provided to users on a licensing basis, NFTs are ownable and can attain significant value as digital collectibles. The prospect of attached sports memorabilia typically increases a token’s value.
Disclaimer: The content and opinions of this article are intended to be used for informational purposes only and are not to be taken as investment advice. It is important to do your own research and analysis before collecting and trading any NFTs.
