A verified athlete-only platform connects fans with their favorite sports stars like never before.

Blockasset has been built on top of Solana because of how this network achieves high speeds and low fees — delivering a seamless experience alongside NFTs that owners will be proud of.

One recent collection came from Italian captain Giorgio Chiellini, who played an instrumental role in the national team’s sensational win against England in the European Championships.

The piece was focused on his warrior-like spirit and was named The Gladiator, and ultimately ended up selling for a cool $60,000 — a sum that has been described as a Solana and Metaplex NFT record.

Other auctions have included a one-of-a-kind collection of David Trezeguet, the French legend who scored the winner during the Euro 2000 tournament. That was due to end on July 16.

A range of high-end experiences are offered for those who get involved in the bidding process. This includes meet and greets, shirts worn at matches, signed boots, airdropped messages from the players and the opportunity to take part in virtual question and answer sessions over FaceTime.

UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping is an investor and partner in the project.

New stories, new experiences

According to Blockasset, its powerful combination of tech and sport enables fans to connect with the beautiful game in a whole new way.

Athlete NFTs are now a multimillion-dollar industry. Unlike tangible sports cards and memorabilia, where counterfeit items are all too common, digital trading cards and nonfungible tokens are minted on the blockchain for added security. This means that the ownership and provenance of each item can be easily verified.

“NFTs are an amazing innovation and it is an honor to launch my first collection with Blockasset. I'm always looking for new ways to communicate with fans, and NFTs are the greatest leap forward in this regard for a long time. I’m sure the fans will love the collection,” Chiellini said.

The managing director of Blockasset, Paul Evans, added that his team has been working hard to establish the platform before the end of the tournament — adding: “It’s an honour to launch with two iconic soccer legends, especially players that have such a rich history at the EURO finals.”

More insights from Blockasset here

How it works

Athletes who partner with Blockasset profit from the initial sale of each item, and receive royalties whenever NFTs are resold in future. This is achieved through the use of smart contracts written into the collectibles. It’s hoped that this will allow athletes to monetize their brand and profit from a successful career long after they retire.

It isn’t just soccer stars who are getting involved with this platform, either. Boxer King Terence Crawford — alongside UFC stars Darren Till and Leon Edwards — have also signed up to release collections through Blockasset.

Over the next 12 months, the startup has bold plans to become the market leader in verified athlete NFTs, delivering exclusive experiences that can’t be found anywhere else.

Learn more about Blockasset

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