Quick take:
- Lionel Messi has joined Socios as its global ambassador.
- The multi-year agreement will last for an initial period of three years.
- Socios fan token holders will be rewarded with NFTs as well as merchandise and match-worn jerseys.
Four-time UEFA Champions League winner Lionel Messi has joined digital fan tokens platform Socios as its global ambassador. The Paris Saint-Germain pro footballer will appear in multiple educational and promotional campaigns, debuting with a Socios.com brand campaign in the leadup to the Qatar World Cup in November.
A source close to the deal told Reuters that the agreement is worth more than $20 million. The multi-year agreement will last for an initial period of three years.
Socios has signed official fan token partnerships with over 130 of the world’s biggest sports teams and leagues including Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Napoli, Valencia, Atlético de Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal and UEFA to release fan tokens.
Fan tokens allow holders to vote on minor decisions related to their favourite sports clubs. Socios plans to run at least 500 polls this year for its community of token holders, enabling them to influence key fan-centric decisions on matters ranging from kit designs to squad numbers and celebration songs.
“Since I played my first professional game the passion of the fans has been a driving force that has helped inspire me to be my very best. Fans deserve to be recognised for their support. They deserve opportunities to influence the teams they love,” said Messi in a statement.
Fan token holders will also stand a chance to receive rewards such as NFTs as well as merchandise and match-worn jerseys. They can also access exclusive discounts from club sponsors.
Besides fan tokens, Socios is also launching a range of mobile games exclusively for token holders this year.
Messi’s football club, Paris Saint-Germain, recently filed a trademark application covering NFTs, crypto and virtual products, though the trademark filing likely isn’t related to his deal with Socios.
A growing number of sports teams has entered the Web3 space. Earlier this month, FC Barcelona announced that it will be launching its own cryptocurrency and NFTs. Messi left FC Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer last August. FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirmed that Messi will not return to the football club next season.
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