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Nike will integrate its .Swoosh NFT collectibles into sports video games through the apparel giant’s new collaboration with EA Sports. Sales of Nike’s non-fungible tokens have reached $186 million in total revenue, according to the crypto analytics platform Dune.
A teaser video of the collaboration shows virtual football helmets, footballs, and soccer balls co-branded by Nike and EA. Future EA Sports titles—which span officially licensed games for the NFL, PGA Tour, F1, UFC, NHL, as well as EA Sports FC and EA Sports College Football—will make Nike’s .Swoosh digital collectibles available in games to give “members and players unique new opportunities for self-expression and creativity through sport and style,” per a press release.
Nike’s .Swoosh platform, built over the Polygon blockchain, was announced last year and currently remains in closed beta. .Swoosh lets users buy virtual Nike sneakers and apparel and gives member perks such as exclusive access to physical Nike products.
Nike acquired the NFT startup RTKFT in December 2021. Nike athlete and NBA legend LeBron James was seen wearing the RTFKT x Nike Air Force 1 Genesis sneakers before Game 1 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Western Conference Semifinals game against the Golden State Warriors. Photos of James wearing the red and black kicks were tweeted by the Lakers and RTFKT, and James took a photo with RTFKT co-founder Steven “Zaptio” Vasilev.
EA’s NFT collab with Nike comes as OneTeam Partners, the licensing firm co-founded by the NFL Players Association, seeks to collect $42 million in unpaid funds connected to last year’s crypto market collapse and the NFLPA’s deals with digital collectible companies. OneTeam notably struck a deal with EA Sports in May to compensate college football players who appear in its upcoming college football video game, which now could include Nike NFTs.
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