Most people think of an NFT as a jpeg or pngs. While most of the use cases of NFTs right now are using them as images, an NFT is really a unique digital token on the blockchain. Hence, since an NFT is a token, it can be used as a ticket or pass to experiences, goods, and more.
DeVonta Smith and Endstate’s NFT collection Sticky Hands has made excellent use of the idea of NFTs as tokens.
What is Sticky Hands?
The Sticky Hands collection is a Shoe NFT collection. Essentially when you buy the Sneaker it comes with a NFC chip that connects to your NFT. When DeVonta Smith reaches certain goals in the NFL season, shoe or NFT holders will be sent rewards.
Here are some of the rewards people if DeVonta reaches these goals
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Free Cheesesteaks if DeVonta has 41+ yard reception (once per week)
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Limited edition football card if Smith has an 1000+ yards seasons
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A luxury watch if DeVonta Smith wins MVP
NFT owners will also have access to an exclusive event hosted by DeVonta in Philly, an exclusive Eagles watch party, and other Endstate Events.
Side Note: In terms of how the NFC chip connects with your NFT, I tried to research it and came up with nothing. I assume that the chip has access to a private key of a wallet address where the NFT is stored. So I do not think that Endstate has access to each owner's wallet, but do not take my word for it. Also, if the terms wallet address and private key are foreign to you, think of them as your account id and password on the blockchain respectively.
My Short Two Cents on the Shoe Design
Unfortunately, I did not purchase the shoe and it is currently sold out right now. So my thoughts on the design are solely from the pictures. At first glance, I had mixed feelings about the design. However, it's grown on me. I still despise the blue and pink design, but the green design and black and yellow design are more appealing and look crisper. I also vibe with how they designed the shoe to be sleek and slim, like the Slim Reaper himself.
Will more Athletes start Providing Experiences like this?
It’s only a matter of time before more and more athletes provide experiences like this. There are numerous companies building dapps (decentralized apps) that allow athletes and influencers to connect with their fans through NFTs and the blockchain in general. Experiences like these will onboard more and more people into web3 and blockchain.
Wrap Up
The sports and fashion industries has always been more forward thinking in terms of new technologies. Sticky Hands has shown the benefits of using NFTs as a token for experiences and items. Moreover, they have created a product that allows people who are less knowledgeable about blockchain to experience the benefits of it. Hopefully more experiences like these will remove the stigma associated with the term NFT and blockchain.
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