The Hype Is Real

Welcome to The Hype Is Real where we break down the latest news, stories & happenings around sports & web3.

Here's What You Need To Know This Week:

• Four-Time Olympian Partners With Crypto Exchange

• FOX Deportes Launched Its First-Ever NFT Collection

• Judge's NFT Knocks It Out The Park

• Legacy League x Clemson University

Let's Dive Into It...

Four-Time Canadian Olympian Scotty James Partners With OKX

OKX, a leading cryptocurrency platform, recently announced its partnership with internationally renown snowboarder Scotty James.

OKX will work with Scotty James to present the possibilities of web3 and crypto trading to winter sports fans while helping them make better and more responsible investment decisions.

Scotty James said this about the partnership: “Ever since my first big professional win, I realized that if I wanted to stay on top, I’d have to revamp my entire training regimen both physically and mentally. I am constantly pushing myself to live a healthy lifestyle, working to stay innovative, and doing everything that I can to sustain a strong work ethic, and I'm hyper-focused on innovating and always trying to learn new things. These are values that I apply both in the half-pipes and on the charts, and they are also values that are shared by OKX. That is what makes this partnership the perfect fit. I couldn’t be more excited to push the limits here with OKX and bring Crypto into the sport that I love."

OKX will also guide James as he embraces the opportunities provided by web3, such as launching unique NFTs and collaborating on plans for new winter sports experiences within the metaverse.

Fans will be able to follow him as he continues his crypto trading journey. This will both give them insights into his life off the half-pipes and provide education on how to trade better.

Why does this matter?

A big part of bringing crypto and other web3 concepts mainstream is education and awareness.

Top-tier athletes who have an understanding of the space can help do both and push the industry forward must quicker.

FOX Deportes Is Launching Its First-Ever NFT Collection To Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

FOX Deportes is launching its first-ever NFT collection to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The collection consists of sports-themed NFTs created by Mexican artist Jiovanny Lopez Alvarez.

Via this NFT collection, the U.S’ longest-running Spanish-language sports channel will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary.

FOX Deportes is a division of FOX Sports and the longest-running Spanish-language sports network in the United States. The TV channel features a diverse portfolio of programs and more than 2,100 hours of live programming that includes Liga MX, MLS, and South America World Cup Qualifiers.

The first collection, titled Los Primeros (“We Are First”), consists of 250 limited-edition, randomly generated NFTs. Each unique NFT celebrates the sports, fans, and cities FOX Deportes has served since its launch.

The NFTs are currently available for purchase. Rarible will serve as the collection’s official secondary market. Additionally, an auction of ultra-rare NFTs from the collections is also taking place today on OpenSea.

The FOX Deportes NFTs will unlock several perks for its collectors. These include one-of-a-kind memorabilia, tickets to major sporting events, VIP access to the TV channel’s events at its Los Angeles studios, and more.

Why does this matter?

The NFT market is down bad right now, but that doesn't make the ideology behind them worthless.

Projects, such as this one, which have cultural significance, incredible artistry, and powerful utility prove that NFTs are here to stay in the long-run.

Aaron Judge’s Record-Setting 62nd Home Run Makes NFT History For Candy Digital’s Milestone Mark Category

After Aaron Judge's hit his record-setting 62nd home run, NFT platform Candy Digital minted a collection that is the first collectible as part of the company’s new Milestone Mark category.

The NFTs were sold on Wednesday, one day after he hit the historic homer at Globe Life Field in Texas. Judge’s Milestone Mark token was listed for $62 and only 99 were produced as a credit to his jersey number.

The NFTs include an extended highlight video from his record-breaking moment and audio from the YES Network’s call of the play.

Judge’s 62nd home run broke the single-season AL record set by former Yankees outfield Roger Maris in 1961. The fan who caught Judge’s home run ball on Tuesday has already been offered $2 million for the baseball by JP Cohen, president of Memory Lane Auctions.

Why does this matter?

Moments in sports like this one are monumental and once in a lifetime.

NFT platforms can capitalize on these moments as fans will be more than willing to purchase exclusive digital collectibles and experiences.

If athletes can get a piece of the pie as well then they gain a new revenue stream without doing much expect leveraging their IP.

Legacy League Partners With Clemson University

Legacy League, a tech company that delivers digital collectible and Web3 solutions for college programs and athletes, announced its partnership with Clemson University Athletics this week.

Legacy League will develop officially licensed, innovative Web3 campaigns for Clemson's entire athletic department. The partnership includes a co-marketing agreement with Clemson to market the campaigns in-game, on campus, and through Clemson's web and social media.

Clemson's inaugural NFTs will include sports memorabilia, including unique souvenir game tickets with post-game versions that will enable buyers to relive the experience of the game.

Legacy League will also be debuting gamified Clemson locker rooms later this school year, specially designed for fans to populate unique NFT assets for each sport.

Why does this matter?

With NIL - schools are constantly looking for co-revenue opportunities for their athletic programs and athletes.

As digital collectibles become more mainstream, keep a lookout for more partnerships like this across the college sports landscape.

What To Watch:

Where are NFTs today in the sports world, and where are they going in the future?

WiST hosted a How I Got Into Sports Tech panel discussion which featured women leaders who are shaping the future of NFTs in the web3 world.

Panelists share their journeys to their roles and how NFTs are being used to serve as decentralized fan bases in the new era of web3.

Panelists included:

• Stephanie Howard, Cofounder/COO of Endstate. Starting with sneakers, Endstate is marrying physical products with NFTs

• Marcia Caporn, Head Revenue at Credenza, Web3 enablement for sports & entertainment

• Natalie Rudd, Head of Strategy at Autograph, an NFT platform

The full replay is below.

What To Read:

Appreciate you for reading & have an amazing Sunday.

Talk to you again next week,

Malcolm