Rafael Nadal and Coco Gauff now have their own NFT collections as more athletes venture into owning digital assets.
Nadal is coming off his 22nd Grand slam title at this year's French Open. He defeated the likes of Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud on his way to a record-extending 14th Parisian crown.
Gauff, meanwhile, almost became a Grand Slam champion for the first time in her young career but lost to Iga Swiatek at the French Open. She also headlined the doubles final at the same event but lost in the final too, while partnering with countrywoman Jessica Pegula
Both Nadal and Gauff are exploring the world of digital assets, with NFTs becoming a jargon word. Basically, it refers to Non-Fungible Tokens, which are a type of digital asset, either an artwork or video, that is stored in a blockchain.
The technology ensures that each NFT is unique and authentic to the person owning it and cannot be replicated. The two players have signed a collaboration with Autograph.io, an NFT platform built by NFL legend Tom Brady.
Athletes, including tennis players from around the world, are creating their own NFT collections there. Unique digital collectibles are a great way for players to enhance their off-court brand when they want to build their portfolio outside of tennis and can leverage their market appeal.
Moreover, selling their NFTs is a source of income for original owners, although this is not their primary motivation. While the platform states that the NFT collection of Coco Gauff's autograph cards is already available, the drop of Rafael Nadal's collection was only recently announced.
When releasing cards of the young American, the platform wrote: "The Future is Coco Gauff. The first Coco Gauff NFTs are available today at 3 p.m. ET." The 18-year-old tennis sensation has also shared the news on her Instagram account.
0 Comments