The Toronto Raptors have just become the first major Canadian sports team to venture into the NFT world.
The team is releasing collection of six uniquely themed “keys” that unlock virtual and physical experiences, which will be available for a limited time between July 23rd and July 28th. The release comes a month after Kyle Lowry announced his NFT collection commemorating the Raptors’ championship parade.
The collectuon will range from three different levels based on scarcity, from Rare to Legendary, and each item will unlock perks and exclusive experiences during the 2021-2022 season. Some of them include access to the team, exclusive courtside seats, in-game suites and tickets, court time at Scotiabank Arena, access to the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Front Office meet and greets, and more. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to MLSE Foundation, the charitable arm of MLSE, and its ‘Change the Game’ campaign.
The Raptors first teased the collection last week, with many fans speculating that it meant president Masai Ujiri was either re-signing with the team or getting the keys to the city. This is not that.
“The prospect of having the Raptors return to play at home in Toronto is something we’ve been looking forward to for quite some time. While the team played outside of our city, we created new ways to connect and engage with our fans given the challenges of the pandemic such as the Digital Arena and now the new NFT platform,” said Shannon Hosford, Chief Marketing Officer at MLSE. “These unique new NFTs will offer Toronto Raptors fans the opportunity to collect and enjoy digital memorabilia that can be cherished for many seasons ahead, while also creating a new fan experience outside of Scotiabank Arena that unlocks coveted in-person experiences and access to the team—our players are as excited as our fans for their return.”
Fans can already register on DropShop at Raptors.DropShop.io to view the NFT offerings and the VIP experiences that come with them. The NFTs will be available for purchase at $30 starting July 23rd. Legendary and Rare NFTs will be auctioned and the winning bid will be determined on July 28th at 6 p.m. ET.
The collection was designed by MLSE Digital Labs. The physical experiences that the NFTs unlock are based on the themes for each key: The City, The Team, The Players, The Past, The Future, and The Game.
