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- NHL will offer video clip and stat-based NFTs on platform
- Sweet already works with Formula One, NBA and NHL teams
The National Hockey League (NHL) and non-fungible token (NFT) specialist Sweet will offer fans the ability to buy digital collectibles based on recent and historic video footage from iconic moments in the competition’s rich history.
Several individual teams already have NFT partners, while the NHL has given partner Upper Deck a licence to create NFTs based on its trading cards, but this is the first time the ice hockey league will make video-based collectibles similar to the National Basketball Association’s Top Shot.
“We are proud to be launching the NHL’s official NFT digital collectibles marketplace this upcoming season and to offer this new and innovative interactive touchpoint for NHL fans,” said Dave Lehanski, NHL executive vice president, for business development and innovation.
“We invested a significant amount of time to analyse the marketplace and establish a fan-first strategy and are now thrilled to announce a partnership with a company that will not only provide us with a world-class digital NFT collectibles experience, but also a commitment to develop a comprehensive platform that is completely designed and customised for the NHL and wholly focused on connecting with hockey fans in the most authentic and engaging manner possible.”
As part of its ‘multi-year deal’ with the NHL, the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) and the NHL Alumni Association (NHLAA), Sweet will offer NFTs featuring cinematic, high-definition highlights and build an official digital collectible marketplace where fans can buy and trade these tokens, and display them in an interactive 3D trophy room.
Other NFTs will also be available, including those that change appearance based on current team data, with special collections made for marquee events like the NHL Winter Classic.
The NHL says Sweet’s ‘easy to use’ user interface will hopefully engage first-time NFT owners, as will gamification features within the marketplace, such as quizzes and challenges. Sweet’s other sporting clients include the Australian Open tennis tournament, the McLaren and Red Bull Formula One teams, and the NBA’s New York Knicks.
“We’re honoured to be partnering on an industry-first launch with an organization as globally renowned as the NHL,” said Tom Mizzone, Sweet chief executive. “Working closely with the League and the Associations, we’ve curated some visually stunning action-packed moments, leveraging in-play gamification to create a genuinely engaging and unique relationship between collectibles and experiences.”