NFT ticket sales target the mixed martial arts league
The nonfungible tokens (NFTs) use case as a ticketing solution continues to grow as the mixed martial arts organization, the Professional Fighters League (PFL), adopts the technology.
The PFL, which has a season format that differs from the hugely popular Ultimate Fighting Championship, has partnered with Web3 firm CrossTower to roll out NFT tickets powered by Ripple’s XRP Ledger. The launch of the tickets will coincide with the start of the 2023 match season and marks the fifth year since the PFL started.
An announcement shared with Cointelegraph highlighted many exclusive extras included in NFT VIP tickets, including cageside seating, pre-fight weigh-ins, meet and greets with PFL fighters, ring walking experiences and more.
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CrossTower CEO Kapil Rathi highlighted that the technology behind the NFT tickets – the XRP Ledger – offers scale and utility for the enterprise-class solution.
“The NFTs are built by CrossTower on the XRP Ledger, an open source, energy efficient and decentralized blockchain powered by a global community of developers.”
NFT tickets are undoubtedly not a new phenomenon. Cointelegraph has previously explored the potential of blockchain-based event management to tackle various issues surrounding counterfeiting, espionage and black market sales.
The National Football League (NFL) has already tested the waters with NFT tickets in the US, having distributed around 250,000 NFT tickets following its launch in November 2021.
Super Bowl LVI featured commemorative NFT tickets for every fan at no cost, allowing spectators to create their own custom NFT tickets to mark the event. The NFL’s NFT tickets are minted on the Polygon blockchain and feature various animated visuals.
In December 2021, World Rugby – the sport’s governing body – also asked potential partners to explore the use of NFTs. The 2023 Rugby World Cup will be held in France, but the organization has not made any official announcements about the role of NFT ticketing functionality for the global sporting event.
Paris will host the 2024 Olympics, and NFT tickets have also been designated to improve crowd control and spectator experience. The aftermath of the 2021 Champions League final – marred by violent scenes exacerbated by fake ticket sales and overcrowding – has led French officials to think carefully about ways to improve events hosted in the country.
Sports Illustrated released its own NFT ticketing solution in May 2023 called Box Office, which offers self-service event management and ticketing solutions powered by Polygon and developed in partnership with ConsenSys.
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