Turning game-scoring balls into fan engagement tools is part of Socios.com’s latest moves to improve how fans interact with the beautiful game and collect memorabilia.
Blockchain-based fan token platform, Socios.com, has unveiled plans to allow its token holders to own game-scoring balls from the Italian Supercup Final.
Any ball scored will be outfitted with an NFC chip by match officials. The chip validates the authenticity of the ball, allowing the ball’s information to be tracked and stored. Whoever wins the ball will also have their ownership authenticated with the chip. Consequently, identifying counterfeit merch will be easy as this information is accessible via a smartphone.
The innovation brings users a distinct opportunity to own rare football merch. Not only do fans go home with game-scoring balls. Also, fans can re-live the goal-scoring moment by scanning the chip’s barcode from their phone,
Fans with enough tokens as specified will be able to participate in a reverse auction to win any game-scoring balls in the Italian Super Cup Final between AC Milan and Inter. To participate, fans must hold at least a hundred tokens for each team and up to 600,000 Socios (SSU) tokens.
Innovations to Drive Fan Engagement
Turning game-scoring balls into fan engagement tools is part of Socios.com’s latest moves to improve how fans interact with the beautiful game and collect memorabilia.
Recall that in December, Socios.com launched GameUsed.com on the Chiliz blockchain. With GameUsed, fans can access authenticated match-used memorabilia. These include match-worn shirts, official match balls, and match-worn sports equipment. Sports teams, collectors, and fans can leverage this technology to improve their experiences.
CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, Alexandre Dreyfus, said:
“By bringing blockchain authentication and distribution to sports memorabilia through GameUsed.com we are taking another important step forward in our offering.”
Concept of Game-Scoring Balls to Spread Fast
With Socios.com partnering with over 170 teams, the concept of a game-scoring ball will likely spread like wildfire. Socios also has a partnership with UEFA.
Interestingly, Socios.com is not the first to announce such an offer to fans. In December, La Liga, in partnership with Gol-Ball, announced a similar offer. According to Gol-Ball’s CTO, Fede Giuliani, “The concept of the goal ball did not exist; we invented and registered it through a series of patent applications.”
La Liga ambassador, Samuel Eto’o, noted the innovation was revolutionary. He stated how it was previously impossible for footballers to identify the game-scoring ball at the end of the game. “If this is a historic moment for us, imagine what it could mean for a fan to keep the ball,” he concluded.
An experienced writer with practical experience in the fintech industry. When not writing, he spends his time reading, researching or teaching.
