Partnership Will Include NFT Collections Created in Collaboration With Cricket Stars Sir Vivian Richards, Herschelle Gibbs, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Amir, Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence
Hong Kong, September 23, 2021 — Crypto.com NFT has announced the signing of an exclusive partnership with sports fandom startup DeFi the Game for a series of non-fungible token (NFT) collections celebrating global celebrities from the world of cricket, marking the platform’s entrance into the market — another step forward on its expansion into sports. NFT drops created in collaboration with legendary ICC Cricket Hall of Fame inductee Sir Vivian Richards, record-breaking cricketer Herschelle Gibbs, international cricket icons Mohammad Amir and Shoaib Malik as well as exciting newcomer Dan Lawrence are included in the inaugural run — starting with a drop commemorating the life and career of cricket star Ravi Bopara on September 30.
“Cricket is a vibrant sport with a global fan base,” said DeFi the Game Co-Founder Kasey Cummings. “DeFi the Game is set to pioneer personal NFTs within cricket, providing an exciting and innovative way for fans to experience the sport. We are defying the status quo and building a community of cricket fans ready for the future. Between working alongside an organization of Crypto.com’s calibre and raising money for some incredible charitable initiatives, I’m excited for what’s to come.”
“Cricket’s all about the fans and I have always enjoyed my interactions with them, so partnering with Crypto.com and Defi the Game is a perfect opportunity for me to reach out to my fans in new ways,” said Richards, a West Indies legend who is widely regarded as the greatest cricket batsmen of all time. “It will be an honor to meet and greet the owners of my NFTs, and I am particularly excited for a competitive round of golf!”
“NFTs represent an entirely new dimension within the fan experience,” added Bopara. “I cannot wait to share some of my iconic career moments, and particularly offer several redeemables which are very close to my heart.”
All artwork for the various collections was commissioned and curated by DeFi the Game in collaboration with the featured athletes. Physical redeemables and in-person experiences will be paired with select NFTs in the collections, including meet-and-greet opportunities or coaching sessions with the international celebrities, tickets to matches with VIP hospitality, signed memorabilia and more. Portions of DeFi the Game’s proceeds from various NFTs in the series will be donated to charities of the company’s choosing. Details are subject to change, and will be available on each collection’s landing page when launched.
“DeFi the Game and Crypto.com NFT will set the standard of the cricket fan experience for the years to come,” said DeFi the Game Co-Founder Dean Ahmad. “Providing inherent value to the full spectrum of cricket fans, we have arrived to build a community for fans to engage with one another and their heroes. Better still, our NFTs are tied to real-world rewards — which will offer users unforgettable experiences that money alone simply cannot buy.”
“We’re beyond excited to expand our reach onto the cricket pitch, and to do so with a platform like DeFi the Game — and such a diverse lineup of some of the sport’s most iconic talent — makes all the difference,” added Crypto.com Executive Vice President and Global Head of NFT Joe Conyers III. “From countries in the Caribbean and Europe to Africa and Asia, cricket is beloved by billions of fans worldwide. As a truly global company, we’re thrilled to welcome the cricket community into ours.”
Crypto.com NFT is positioning itself as a leader in global sports NFTs, having released several soccer collections over the past few months: one in collaboration with SportsIcon and soccer legend Gianluigi Buffon; another celebrating the 2021 Coppa Italia Final in partnership with Italian soccer league Serie A, which included an original 3D animation by contemporary fine artist Diego Perrone; as well as another with the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and The Football Technology Institute (FTI). The cryptocurrency platform’s NFT marketplace has also hosted drops with NHL ice hockey team the Vegas Golden Knights, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Aston Martin Formula One Team. Crypto.com, which powers Crypto.com NFT, recently announced that they have become the first Innovation and Technology partner of Lega Serie A and the first official NFT partner — as well as an official global partner and official cryptocurrency sponsor — of Formula One.
About Crypto.com NFT
Crypto.com NFT is a carefully curated platform for collecting and trading non-fungible tokens by creators, celebrities and brands from the worlds of art, design, entertainment, sports and fashion — including the Aston Martin Formula One Team, Beatport, BossLogic, Boy George, Diego Perrone, Lega Serie A, Lionel Richie, Mr. Brainwash and Snoop Dogg, among many other high-profile artists and clients. Established in March 2021, Crypto.com NFT is powered by Crypto.com — which serves over 10 million customers with the world’s fastest growing crypto app, the Crypto.com Visa Card, the Crypto.com Exchange and the Crypto.com DeFi Wallet. More information is available at Crypto.com/NFT.
