Manchester United has made history by being the first football club to introduce player trading cards and a Fantasy United game for the 2024/25 season on the Tezos Blockchain. This innovative move allows fans to collect cards featuring first-team players, build squads, and compete in a Web3 fantasy football game.
Player Trading Cards
The ‘Fantasy United’ game includes cards of all first-team players from the men’s squad, available in Classic, Rare, and Ultra-Rare editions. Each card is uniquely hand-drawn and updates with real-time stats throughout the season. Fans have the opportunity to purchase these cards in packs of seven for £3 each, giving them the chance to collect all members of Erik ten Hag’s senior squad, including new summer signings Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.
Not only can fans collect these cards, but they can also bring to life a five-man squad within the Fantasy United game. This game is the first-ever web3 fantasy football game developed for a Premier League club using Tezos. In Fantasy United, fans can compete with friends through mini-leagues and earn points based on the real-life performances of Manchester United players, including goals, assists, tackles, and saves.
Launch and Features
The launch of the Fantasy United game coincides with Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Fulham on 16 August. Throughout the season, fans can expect tips on the most selected players and strategies from United legends and fantasy football experts. Additionally, fans have the opportunity to compete directly against former Manchester United players in the Legends leagues.
Devil-holders, owners of the club’s original digital collection, have early access to Player Trading Cards, which were made available on Monday. Starting from 31 July, all fans will have the chance to collect these cards. Manchester United and the Tezos Ecosystem previously collaborated to launch ‘The Devils’ collection in 2022, which sold out quickly. The club has also provided free digital collectibles to fans attending men’s and women’s home matches since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, with over 750,000 claimed.
Community Building
These activations have led to the growth of a community of nearly 100,000 members inside the club’s Discord channel. Fans can interact with each other, receive notifications of new drops, and participate in live town halls and Q&As with the club. Ronan Joyce, director of digital innovation at Manchester United, expressed excitement about the Player Trading Cards, stating that they allow fans to collect the entire men’s first team squad, see the collectibles evolve throughout the season, and play them in an exciting fantasy football game.
Manchester United’s officially licensed Digital Collectibles are a groundbreaking addition to the world of football fandom. These cryptoassets serve as collectible items rather than investments, providing fans with a new and engaging way to interact with their favorite club. The introduction of player trading cards and the Fantasy United game demonstrates the club’s commitment to innovation and fan engagement in the digital age.
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