ESPN Forays Into NFTs With Tom Brady's Autograph

ESPN, the US-based cable television sports-broadcasting network, is partnering with Tom Brady's Autograph non-fungible token (NFT) platform. The collaboration is expected to last at least a couple of years and will kickstart with a collection based on a Tom Brady documentary series around the National Football League (NFL) quarterback's career that's produced by Brady's own Religion of Sports media company and co-produced by ESPN. The “Man in the Arena: Tom Brady Collection” will be available on Autograph's platform and up for sale on DraftKings digital Marketplace.

As per a press release, the collection will consist of three different designs based on the football player's achievements. A second collection, “Back in the Arena,” centered around his career development, will debut after the 10th episode in the series. Tom Brady will digitally sign 50 of the NFTs.

This will be ESPN's first NFT partnership. Tom Brady's association with Autograph and ESPN's presence in sports media will likely enhance the branding and marketing efforts of this and future collaborative projects.

"ESPN is excited to offer our first NFTs to meet our fans at the intersection of sports, technology and content," Kevin Lopes, ESPN's vice president of sports business development & innovation, said in the statement.

“This unique collection around Tom's ‘Man in the Arena' docuseries marks the beginning of our relationship with ESPN,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, Co-Founder and CEO at Autograph. “As the first NFT partner for ESPN, the possibilities across sports and technology are endless.”

Most of Autograph's collections and projects have been centered around individual athletes, which provide a strong but limited content potential for NFTs. On the other hand, the constant stream of sports-related material that ESPN produces combined with its audience reach is a massive opportunity for Autograph.