The first NFT will launch on May 7 to celebrate the Liberty’s home opener at Barclays Center against the Connecticut Sun.
More than two decades ago, the New York Liberty played in the first-ever WNBA game. This spring, they will become the first WNBA team to ever launch an NFT collection.
The team announced on Monday that it will celebrate the start of its 26th season with a non-fungible token offering to highlight the team’s home-opener against the Connecticut Sun on May 7. The first drop will feature 400 NFTs available for purchase, while the team teased future drops later on.
The token itself, which can be seen below, highlights “the ongoing cultural explosion of nail art through a Liberty-oriented lens,” the team says.
“As we look to be a team on the cutting-edge of technology and fan experiences, launching the league’s first NFT was the natural progression of our business,” said Liberty CEO Keia Clarke in a press release. “NFTs are the future of one-of-a-kind collectibles, and this exclusive drop celebrates the intersection of nail art culture and sports through the lens of the New York Liberty.”
Fans can guarantee an NFT for themselves before sales open to the general public by getting whitelisted here. To do so, they will need to purchase a ticket to opening night and submit their Coinbase wallet address. Once the drop officially happens, the NFTs will be available for 35 Polygon ($MATIC), or around $50 each.
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While the Liberty are the first WNBA team to launch an NFT, they are not the first professional basketball franchise. In basketball alone, the Wizards, Jazz, Knicks, Cavaliers, and more have launched team-wide collections. Just last week, the Warriors partnered with FTX for a collection to celebrate the start of the NBA Playoffs.
The Liberty NFTs will live on the Polygon blockchain and will be available for resale on traditional platforms like OpenSea and Rarible.
