The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) announced historic cooperation with Terra Virtua Limited, located in London, to introduce its exclusive non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as digital collectibles ahead of the 2021-22 season.
The ISL, India’s top football league, will be the country’s first sports property to launch a digital collectibles series, putting the Indian sports business ahead of the pack in the fast-growing NFT market.
Terra Virtua is one of the world’s premier blockchain makers and marketplaces, as well as the world’s first fully immersive social, digital collectibles platform. It presently sells themed digital artifacts based on a variety of iconic films, TV series, and comic books. Terra Virtua’s initial venture into the dynamic sports ecosystem is through this relationship with the ISL.
As part of the licencing arrangement, Terra Virtua will create unique digital collectibles featuring the Indian Super League and all 11 clubs. The ISL’s many famous events, player cards, in-match highlights, and more will be accessible for fans to purchase and trade as interactive memorabilia through Terra Virtua’s unique marketplace since the league’s inception in 2014.
“Digital collectibles have been one of the most talked-about fan interaction channels in 2021,” says ISL Head of Digital Hoshedar Gundevia, “and ISL, as a young league, would like to stay pace with the needs of India’s millennial and Gen Z audience segments.”
“We’re excited to be working with Terra Virtua to continue on the cutting edge of fan interaction innovation in the future. In India’s growing football market, digital collectibles allow the league and its clubs additional ways to engage with and recruit new fans.”
“This is a huge day for the future of Indian and global sport,” Terra Virtua CEO Gary Bracey said. The agreement represents a significant shift in how sports fans will interact with their favorite teams in the future, allowing them to collect and trade interactive player merchandise and dynamic digital memorabilia with other fans.”
The deal confirms that digital collectibles are the future of fan items and digital art, according to the company.
Going Green – Terra Virtua has converted its platform from the Ethereum blockchain to Polygon in an effort to become more sustainable, according to the release. The NFT pioneer has reduced its energy usage in minting NFTs by almost 99 percent as a result of the adjustment.
‘We are incredibly excited to be partnered with Terra Virtua as they embark on their contract with the first prominent Indian sports brand producing NFTs,’ said Sandeep Nailwal, Polygon’s COO and Co-founder. We are major fans of the ISL as an India-based firm, and we are excited to see how Terra Virtua uses digital collectibles to empower and engage soccer fans.”
The collectibles will be announced prior to the ISL tournament 2021, which begins on 19th November 2021.
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