The Dubs are the first pro sports team to launch their own non-fungible token collectibles.
Five years ago, Golden State Warriors governor Joe Lacob declared that the team was “light years ahead” of the rest of the NBA. A run of three championships in four seasons went a long way toward arguing in support of the head-turningly bold claim.
And while they’ve fallen back to earth in the two years since their last NBA Finals appearance, the Warriors remain not just a team that nobody should want to face in the first round of the playoffs, but one with a compelling brand that resonates with fans worldwide and blazes new trails.
On Tuesday, they became the first professional sports franchise to release their own non-fungible token collectibles with the announcement of the “Warriors Legacy NFT collection.”
Included among the NFT offerings are recreations of the Warriors’ six championship rings sold in numbered sets of 25 or 50 each, as well as 10 classic ticket stubs reimagined with original artwork from digital artist Andre “Black Madre” Maciel in numbered sets of 10. The auctions are currently live on crypto collectibles platform OpenSea and run through May 1 at 11 p.m. EDT.
Those who complete the full set of six championship rings will additionally unlock a Warriors Championship Banner NFT. A complete portfolio of all 10 ticket stubs unlocks the Warriors Historic Moments NFT Showcase, a custom digital display case for showing off each one of Black Madre’s eye-catching designs.
Also up for bid are a 1-of-1 “Golden State Warriors Six Time World Champion Ring” NFT and a 1-of-1 “Golden Ticket” NFT. The lucky winners of each of these super-exclusive items will receive a bonus prize package of in-person experiences with the Warriors.
Both 1-of-1 auctions end on May 2 at 11 p.m. EDT.
“The digital collectibles excitement is palpable. We see NFTs and digitization of our business as a mainstay to engage our fans around the world,” Warriors Chief Revenue Officer Brandon Schneider said in an official release. “As an organization, we are constantly evaluating ways to be creative and innovate, and launching this special NFT Collection is the latest evolution for us in that space.”
Critically, however, this isn’t just a revenue move.
“It is important to us that proceeds from this initiative will support the Warriors Community Foundation at a critical time in our community’s journey to rebuild educational practices during the pandemic,” Schneider said.
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Despite Steph Curry’s ongoing, historic tear shooting the basketball, the Warriors may not be considered among the NBA’s title contenders this season. But this latest news reinforces that they remain not just relevant as a brand, but prestigious.
Just as in 2015, when Golden State changed the game by proving that a “jump-shooting team” really could win a title, this franchise is ready to make more history — and doubting them might just be proof of insanity.
