DraftKings and UFC to launch an NFT series and dedicated game

DraftKings Inc. and the Ultimate Fighting League continue to build upon meaningful partnerships together after the company announced that it would launch an exclusive new collection of digital non-fungible token goods. The "Reignmakers" NFTs will be gamified serve to boost fan engagement as UFC fans can utilize them to add to their own unique collections while competing for various prizes in real-time.

The Reignmakers UFC NFT-inspired game will be making a debut at some point this year, albeit no exact date has been given. Any fan that is keen on building up their UFC collection would be able to once the game goes live officially. There will be different collections, with the first one arriving shortly after the NFT game goes live. The first collection is called "Heatwave Series" and it will naturally feature a number of UFC fighters.

UFC and DraftKings have teased that their product may arrive around the time of UFC 276: Adesanya vs Cannonier early in July. The NFTs themselves will be very useful from a consumer standpoint. They would make it easy to join daily fantasy contests, play for cash and custom merchandise, and more.

DraftKings makes a perfect partner for the UFC, as the company previously launched the DraftKings Marketplace with the help of Autograph, a Tom Brady-owned company that explores digital collectibles and the cryptocurrency space as a whole. DraftKings Marketplace SVP of Product Operations, Beth Beiriger, welcomed the opportunity to be working with the UFC and said:

"UFC has been a tremendous collaborator over the years, and we are delighted for the organization to represent our latest installment within DraftKings’ burgeoning Reignmakers gamified digital collectibles franchise."

This is true, as DraftKings is an official sportsbook and DFS partner for the UFC in the United States and Canada. This puts the two companies’ connection at a very specific place where they can keep banding together to push new products onto fans and create unique experiences that grow their brands organically and sustainably.

Reignmakers UFC is hailed in UFC’s own corner with SVP of Global Consumer Products, Tracey Bleczinski, welcoming the move. She described the game and collections around it as a unique opportunity to combine fan engagement, digital nous in sports entertainment and pioneering technology to create the ultimate product for the UFC and its fans.

Not only that, but the DraftKings Marketplace would create fresh synergies and bring more viable NFTs to the fore, giving a boost to that emerging technology as well.

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