It’s a stoking moment for degens and basketball fans nationwide as there are lots of new upcoming sneak peeks on the way.
As Lebron recently dominates the NBA’s all-time scoring record, PBA also makes a historical development in the local scene.
THE ALPHA
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) partners up with Virtualness to release exclusive digital NFT collectibles through the PBA Virtualness platform.
This became official after their formal announcement at the recently held media briefing on Sunday, having all core members present in the meeting.
Moreover, It’s said that the platform will launch in the first half of 2023, along with loyalty rewards and perks later in the year.
“Virtualness understands how to make it simple and entertaining for our fans to extend their fandom via digital collectibles and experiences. We believe this will help us leverage next-generation technology to continue basketball’s relevancy as a cultural phenomenon in the Philippines and around the world.” pointed in a statement by PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
PBA AND VIRTUALNESS NFT PARTNERSHIP
Virtualness, a Web3 mobile-first platform focused on innovation and creator monetization, aims to maximize the opportunities that PBA offers.
“The PBA and its players are embraced by their fans not just in the Philippines, but throughout the world.” said Kirthiga Reddy and Saurabh Doshi, co-founders of Virtualness.
With the collaboration, both organizations seek to bring worthwhile digital experiences to the PBA fans through NFTs.
“We’ve been at the heart of Web2 ecosystem building, and the digital transformation of media, sports and entertainment over the last decade. We’re on our journey to do it again in Web3 and excited to enable the PBA to mimic various physical experiences in digital forms and in newer ways unlocked by the power of blockchain.”
EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE NFT BUILD-OUT
These NFT collectibles range from topical and commemorative events, and gaming applications, to unlocking unique fan experiences.
Just like NBA Top Shot, fans can buy, sell and trade basketball past or present PBA in-game video clips from their favorite players.
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and @Virtualnessio partner up to launch in 2023 their own #web3 loyalty experiences.https://t.co/4sxKkx7C0L#nft #crypto #loyaltyprograms #token #qiibeefoundation #QBX $QBX #rewards
— qiibee foundation (@qiibeefdn) February 6, 2023
Therefore, fans will be able to own and collect moments like Japeth Aguilar’s dunks and June Mar Fajardo’s use of finesse and stature that earned him the nickname “The Kraken.”
Besides that, these NFTs can also grant holders exclusive virtual and IRL perks. These perks include online discounts, special seat invitations, and personal meet-and-greet with PBA players themselves.
“Layon ng PBA na sumabay sa takbo ng makabagong panahon. Kaya nagagalak tayo na narito ang Virtualness upang maging kaagapay natin sa pagbibigagay ng saya sa ating mga fans sa tulong ng makabagoing teknolohiya,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
CONCLUSION
The PBA’s decisions marks another successful journey of Web3’s continuous progression in the country.
With the league’s huge fanbase, we are excited to see many people to start diving to Web3 through this collection.
Nonetheless, we’re excited about the positive possibilities of PBA’s venture into Web3.
What do you think about this update?
