Key takeaways:
- eBay has entered a strategic partnership with Web3 technology firm OneOf for the launch of a series of NFT collections
- eBay’s first-ever NFTs will feature digital representations of prominent athletes that were featured on Sports Illustrated covers over the years
- The first collection that dropped on eBay on Monday features Wayne Gretzky, widely considered to be the greatest hockey player in the history of the NHL
The collection features legendary athletes that appeared on Sports Illustrated covers over the years
Leading digital marketplace eBay has announced a series of sports-inspired non-fungible token (NFT) collections in partnership with green energy-oriented blockchain firm OneOf. The first collection features hockey’s all-time great Wayne Gretzky, the leading goal scorer, assist producer, and point scorer in NHL history.
Speaking about being the face of the eBay’s first-ever NFT collection, Gretzky said:
“Forty years ago, I was grateful to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, it was a monumental moment in my life. I’m honored to bring this collectible experience to my hockey fans who have followed my career for decades.”
According to a press release, the most common digital collectibles start at just $10 for the Green tier and can reach as high as $1,500 for the rarest Diamond tier items. It is worth noting that the most expensive and scarcest digital representations of Gretzky have been sold out in the first 24 hours upon listing, showcasing the community’s interest in owning a piece of memorabilia from the illustrious career of “the Great One”.
OneOf, the Web3 company working with eBay on the launch of a series of unique sports collectibles, stated that the partnership with the commerce giant will expand the availability of NFTs to “non-crypto-native consumers” thanks to the marketplace’s “user-friendly experience” and a user base of over 140 million buyers and sellers.
In March, eBay’s CEO Jamie Iannone hinted at the possibility that the digital commerce company might soon be starting to accept crypto payments to appeal to Gen-Z users. At the time, the CEO also said that eBay is a marketplace for various types of goods, digital or physical, which led to speculation of a possible official NFT announcement in the near future. Now, only two months later, one of the world’s largest marketplaces launched its first NFT collection, proving earlier speculations to be correct.
