NBA and NBPA Team up with Sorare to Launch Free-to-Play Fantasy Basketball Game

-Sorare: NBA will Allow Fans to Put NFT-Based Digital Collectibles into Action-

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Basketball Association (NBA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Sorare today announced a multi-year partnership that makes Sorare the Official NFT Fantasy Partner of the NBA. Sorare will launch the first officially licensed, free-to-play digital collectible-based fantasy basketball game, which will be released this fall for the NBA’s 2022-23 season.

The game will provide fans a new opportunity to interact with the league and compete through a unique fantasy gaming experience that offers users the ability to create a lineup of NFT-based digital collectibles representing their favorite players and teams to earn points based on the real-life performance of NBA players. As part of the partnership, Sorare will have the rights to utilize official NBA league and team logos across its products.

“Our partnership with Sorare will give NBA fans an entirely new way to engage with our teams and players,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “With Sorare’s emerging NFT fantasy platform, we see significant opportunities to broaden our community of fans and grow NBA basketball around the world.”

“Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and we are excited to bring fans even closer to their favorite teams and players through Sorare: NBA” said Nicolas Julia, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sorare. “The NBA and the players have been at the forefront of digital experiences and collectibles and our game gives basketball fans the ultimate sports entertainment experience where they can play like a general manager, own their own game, and foster real-world connections.”

"Sorare has built an innovative gaming experience that creates a whole new way for fans from all over the world to interact with and learn more about our players,” said Tamika Tremaglio, Executive Director of the NBPA. “We are very excited about this partnership and the effect Sorare will have on the growth of our game and players globally.”

The new gameplay experience builds upon Sorare’s two million registered users across 185 countries, including in markets across Europe and Asia where the company is seeing rapid growth in its soccer game. The partnership marks Sorare’s third with a U.S. sports league cementing the company’s expansion in the U.S.

The Sorare: NBA free-to-play fantasy game leveraging collectibles backed by non-fungible technology will launch this fall. To sign up for the waiting list, visit sorare.com/NBA.

ABOUT THE NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 40 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.

ABOUT THE NBPA

The National Basketball Players Association is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and support the rights and talents of our players, magnify the power of their collective will, and amplify their voices as leaders who will transcend sport and society globally.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, the filing of grievances on behalf of the players, or counseling players on benefits, educational and post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the for-profit subsidiary of the NBPA charged with managing the players’ group licensing rights.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members, the NBPA Foundation provides support and assistance to persons, communities, and organizations around the world that seek to improve the lives of those in need.

ABOUT SORARE

Founded in 2018, Sorare was created by sports fans for sports fans. Sorare is transforming online sports fandom and giving its community a new way to connect to the clubs and players that they love. Based in Paris and New York, Sorare is funded by a world-class team including Benchmark, Accel, Softbank, and athletes Serena Williams, Kylian Mbappé and Rudy Gobert. See all licensed leagues on Sorare here.

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