Source: NFL

Whether it’s a magnet or a stuffed bear, most Americans (65%) want souvenirs, says research firm YouGov. For sports fans attending games, tickets have long been a popular collector’s item. Increasingly, though, ticketing has moved digital, and now the souvenirs have evolved, too.

In one of the latest instances of organizations mining the power of digital keepsakes for promotional purposes, this week the NFL announced that it will give Super Bowl LVI attendees a unique keepsake. Fans will receive virtual commemorative tickets in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Through a partnership with Ticketmaster, these NFT tickets will be customized with a fan’s personal section, row and seat on gameday, February 13, 2022. With these virtual keepsakes, the NFL will test the potential of branded digital products.

Bobby Gallo, NFL senior vice president of club business development, says, “Collecting ticket stubs has always been something our fans love to do, especially for the season’s biggest game, and offering customized Super Bowl NFTs allows us to enhance the gameday experience, while also enabling us to further evaluate the NFT space for future ticketing and event engagement opportunities.”

For the first time in almost 30 years, the Super Bowl will return to Los Angeles. To celebrate the Super Bowl’s return to LA, the NFL will also release a series of seven historic commemorative NFTs for purchase. Before the Los Angeles Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals, fans can purchase these NFTs.

With artwork designed by a local Southern California artist, a new NFT will be released each day beginning from Feb. 6-13, ending with the release of an NFT featuring the Super Bowl LVI ticket.

On Wednesday, the NFL also released the club specific NFTs for the Rams and Bengals. Later this month, the league will release a final NFT of the Super Bowl LVI winning team.