Cryptocurrency exchange OKX has joined forces with Manchester City to introduce exclusive football shirts that can be minted as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), offering fans a unique opportunity to own digital collectibles and win exciting prizes.
Dubbed “Unseen City Shirts,” the initiative allows fans of Manchester City, the reigning English football champions, to own special memorabilia through NFTs.
On April 22, OKX unveiled the initiative to redesign the football team's shirts as digital collectibles known as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), allowing fans worldwide to mint them through the OKX app until April 25.
The first digital collectible, ‘The Roses and the Bees’, created by artist Christian Jeffery, pays homage to Manchester by featuring iconic symbols like the Lancashire Rose and the Manchester Worker Bee, representing the city’s rich heritage.
Each minted collectible is randomly assigned a rarity level – Classic, Rare, or Ultra Rare. Depending on the rarity of the NFTs, fans stand a chance to win exclusive prizes, including limited-edition physical versions of the football shirt, hospitality tickets to Manchester City matches, and unique play-on-pitch experiences.
Nuria Tarré, Manchester City’s Chief Marketing and Fan Experience Officer, highlighted the club’s strategic focus on attracting tech-savvy audiences and embracing digital ownership through initiatives like the NFT launch. She emphasized the importance of digital ownership in the Web3 era, noting that it revolutionized the ownership process.
Tarré also shared Manchester City’s commitment to exploring the possibilities of Web3 technology through partnerships like OKX and other avenues. She mentioned the club’s foray into Roblox in late 2022 and described Web3 environments as dynamic and progressive, offering opportunities for innovation and co-creation.
OKX, aiming to establish itself as the “first crypto lifestyle brand,” has been aggressively expanding its presence through partnerships with prestigious sports franchises. This includes multi-million dollar sponsorship agreements with Formula 1 team McLaren and English Premier League team Manchester City.
Haider Rafique, Chief Marketing Officer at OKX, expressed excitement about engaging Manchester City’s global fanbase through the campaign. He highlighted the potential of Web3 technology to enhance fan experiences and stressed the importance of laying foundational work to create utility-based ecosystems, starting with NFTs attached to physical goods.
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in the Republic of Seychelles, OKX serves over 20 million customers across 180 international markets. The exchange provides trading support for leading cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, Polkadot, and Cardano.
OKX’s partnership with Manchester City has seen significant expansion. Initially appointed as the football club’s official training kit partner for the 2022-23 season, OKX later secured the position of Manchester City’s official sleeve partner, marking another milestone in the collaboration between the two entities.
