FC Barcelona launches “In a Way, Immortal”, the first NFT in the club’s history, to be auctioned at Sotheby’s New York
FC Barcelona launches the first NFT in its history: an audiovisual digital artwork that recreates Johan Cruyff’s legendary stadium moment on 22 December 1973 when the iconic Dutch player “flew” through the air to score a breakthrough goal against Atlético Madrid goalkeeper Miguel Reina. The auction at Sotheby’s, the world’s premier destination for art, luxury and collectibles, will be presented in a hybrid online live auction, and will include a one-of-a-kind animated edition of In a way, immortalas well as four additional NFTs that will each include a still image from the animated version, capturing an iconic moment of the legendary goal.
The exclusive piece, titled In a way, immortal -inspired by a quote by Johan Cruyff- was produced by the club in collaboration with BCN Visuals, a strategic innovation partner and Digital Superstudio who developed NFT’s cinematographic aesthetics. The purchaser of this unique work of art will also be given a range of VIP club based benefits and experiences and will be named a Barça digital ambassador. You will find more information about NFT and its benefits below. The project was made possible with the involvement of World of Johan Cruyff.
In a way, immortal is the first NFT in a collection of ten works that will be presented piece by piece over the coming months, each featuring iconic FC Barcelona moments and characters that reinforce the club’s heritage and historical legacy. The collection is part of the club’s clear strategic commitment to embrace technology and innovation, and in turn create unforgettable cultural moments – from past and present – with the aim of both educating and inspiring its millennial, xennial and generation Z supporters, among others .
In addition to fostering loyalty among a younger audience, one of the project’s goals is to redefine NFTs by creating a prize experiential product for a film experience. The future owner of this NFT, who will be called Barça digital ambassadorwill also be able to enjoy unique club-based benefits and experiences such as access to training sessions.
Further information related to the auction can be found at nft.fcbarcelona.com, including a countdown to the opening of the online bidding period, which starts today, July 21, as well as a link to follow the auction live, which takes place on July 29.
More than 10,000 production hours
In a way, immortal retells Johan Cruyff’s legendary goal of poetic molten gold animation created by a 40-strong team of Hollywood’s most talented computer graphics (CG) and visual effects (VFX) artists. The 40-second film is accompanied by an original soundtrack played by a 30-piece orchestra, with real sounds from the Camp Nou stadium and FC Barcelona supporters.
The Hollywood CG and VFX team worked on all aspects of the production, from a digital sculpture of Johan Cruyff to the simulation of golden-coloured fluids, textures and shading, cutting edge cinematography and camera work. The production of Cruyff’s digital sculpture required more than a thousand working hours and the overall production entailed a total of more than 10,000 production hours.
100% Barça experiences for the owner of NFT
In addition to being the sole owner of NFT, it is Barça digital ambassador will be able to enjoy a variety of “money can’t buy” experiences. FC Barcelona will incorporate into the NFT’s smart contract a set of tools such as Meet & Greets, visits to La Masia, hospitality rights (for a minimum of five years), the right to play at Spotify Camp Nou and an official handover of the ball before a friendly match.
A special live auction event at Sotheby’s
Offer In a way, immortal will open online from today, July 21, before being sold at a live auction at Sotheby’s New York on July 29. Buyer will have the option to pay in cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, DOT or USDC) or fiat currency. The link to the Sotheby’s sale page is sothebys.com/en/digital-catalogues/fc-barcelona.
For interested bidders outside of New York, online bidding will be available during the live auction.
Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, said: “Barça with more than 400 million followers in social networks is constantly opening new ways to connect with fans and we believe that with the club’s new NFT strategy we have found a unique opportunity to continue to grow and consolidate the Barça brand .We are delighted to have Johan Cruyff in our first FC Barcelona masterpiece In a way, immortal, with Johan having such a great influence on FC Barcelona as a club, but on modern football as it is played today in general. This being captured in such an artistic way is a great tribute to Johan Cruyff, this iconic moment and to the entire heritage and historical legacy of FC Barcelona.
Eric Sas, founder and head of innovation at BCN Visualscommented: “NFTs have too quickly become associated with the explosion in demand for crypto, but with In a way, immortal we bring NFTs back to the realm of high art. Unlike the basic NFT GIF, this mini-movie is a genuine piece of digital renaissance art – almost a piece of marble chiseled by the most talented visual effects artists in Hollywood. This project aims to become the new benchmark for the next evolution of NFTs where new digital artworks are akin to the masterpieces of the past.”
Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s Vice President, Co-Head of Digital Art Sales, commented: “The legend of Johan Cruyff has inspired generations of football fans for decades. Partnering with FC Barcelona, one of the most famous football clubs in the world, to commemorate one of the most unforgettable moments in football history is a truly exciting moment for Sotheby’s and for digital collectibles. Like no other, NFT technology has not only unlocked endless opportunities for digital artists to share their unique work, but has also enabled a world-class club to immortalize an iconic sporting moment on the blockchain.”
Jordi Cruyffadded: “NFT In a way, immortal will forever be linked to my father’s legacy. He would be fascinated to see that one of his most beautiful goals with FC Barcelona has been the inspiration to create this unique piece of digital art that we hope will be enjoyed, admired and remembered forever.”
What are NFTs?
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) are unique digital objects that have revolutionized the way digital art and collectibles can be collected and traded. Each NFT represents a non-fungible unit of data – NFTs are often associated with digital files containing rich media, such as images, videos or audio – that is stored on a blockchain and can be sold and transferred. The record of each NFT stored on a blockchain is immutable, meaning it cannot be changed, providing for the first time an irrefutable proof of ownership of a digital object.
About the football club Barcelona
FC Barcelona was founded in 1899 and is unique in many ways. The club is owned by its more than 140,000 members. Due to its very special personality, Barça is recognized as “more than a club”. The team’s distinctive style of play is projected around the world by the best players and coaches of its era combined with the Club’s famous reliance on home-grown talent.
All of this goes hand in hand with its ongoing ambition to become the most admired, loved and global sporting institution on the planet. This mission is supported by core principles such as humility, effort, ambition, respect and teamwork, while the club is also known for its community involvement, which is channeled through the FC Barcelona Foundation and its work to educate children through the positive values of sport. Such unstoppable growth in recent years has led to a global reach of more than 400 million fans on social media, and is the sports club with the most followers on social networks.
About BCN Visuals
BCN Visuals is an innovation technology company and digital super studio. The pioneers are best known for winning the best 2021 advertising in Europe with The Walt Disney Company, creating Coca Cola’s iconic Christmas campaign in Times Square and internationally launching Playstation’s new games with ground-breaking technology.
With headquarters in Barcelona and Los Angeles, as well as offices in New York and London, BCN Visuals creates immersive content experiences that blur the line between advertising and entertainment. BCN Visuals has generated billions of online earned media impressions for Netflix, Dior and Amazon Studios among many others. The founders, Eric Sas and Alan Company, headlined the 2021 Forbes Magazine cover and were listed as the 100 Most Creative People, as well as the Top 30 Under 30.
About Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s was established in 1744 and is the world’s leading destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auction and buy-now channels, including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories that include Contemporary Art, Modern & Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Artwork, Jewelry, Watches, Wine & Spirits, and Design, as well as Collector Cars and property. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.
About the World of Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff’s world pays tribute to the life and legacy of Johan Cruyff. This is where all Johan’s organizations and initiatives come together; Cruyff Institute (education), Cruyff Foundation (charity), Cruyff Football (soccer), Cruyff Classics (fashion), Cruyff Library (books) and Cruyff Management.
