GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Tens of thousands of Packers fans will get this for Saturday’s playoff game.
It’s a virtual commemorative ticket in the form of a “non-fungible token” or NFT.
Packers Director of Public Affairs, Aaron Popkey, says it’s the first of its kind for the team.
“There will be one ticket that will be issued per purchaser. So if you’re a season ticket holder who engaged in the Pay as we Play and you have four tickets, you’ll get one ticket and you have to attend the game,” said Popkey.
Bryan Carr, Associate Professor of Communications and Information Science at UW-Green Bay, says the NFL got a late start.
“The NBA’s top shots, WWE has done some stuff. Now the NFL not only has playoff tickets but also highlights and that sort of thing,” said Carr.
Carr says think of NFTs like collectibles. You have a valuable baseball card, then you have a limited edition NFT from the Milwaukee Bucks. The real difference between the two is that the valuable baseball card is a physical object, where an NFT is totally digital.
“What the Packers are doing is a fairly simple kind of benign version of it that is really more akin to a souvenir or a collectible trading card. So when you buy your ticket, that says you get this virtual image. You can trade it, you can sell it,” said Carr.
Carr says the profit from the virtual commemorative ticket will depend on the market.
Scott Gonnering owns Scooter G’s Sports in Appleton.
He doesn’t know very much about NFTs or digital sports memorabilia, but doesn’t really like the sound of it.
“Whatever the item is, I want to see it, if it’s wrinkled, if it’s dirty, if its got creases, it’s part of the hobby. I don’t like the idea of them sending me something I can’t hold,” said Gonnering.
Gonnering says he believes there’s more value in having the physical one of a kind item, and thinks others would agree.
He says maybe future generations will find more value in something like a virtual ticket or card.
To see Wisconsin Alumni Association roundtable discussion of NFTs CLICK HERE.
