Sports fans love experiences, and the Metaverse is THE place for experiences.

The Metaverse sports ecosystem is projected to be worth at least $100 billion in the next 7 years. The Metaverse will offer huge new monetization routes for sports teams and athletic brands big and small. NFT collectibles, digital signatures from your favorite stars, immersive match viewing, and e-sports will all contribute to this ecosystem.

The market spaces for sports in the Metaverse occupy 6 segments:

- Wearables and Fan Gear

- Trading Cards and Games

- "Moments"- E-Sports

- Match Viewing and Experiences

- Fan & Athlete Tokens

Major brands and franchises are already on board. Nike bought RTFKT, Adidas has been selling its own wearables for over a year, and FIFA spent big money on it's FIFA World experience in Roblox.

Just as in the real world, the Metaverse will offer exposure for brands, especially in entertainment-driven segments like sports, allowing you to seek sponsors for your digital jerseys or matches. These sponsors will gain brand exposure to your young, engaged Metaverse audience.

There is currently a behavioral change being observed amongst sports fans. Older fans are more passive, wanting to view sports on TV. Younger fans want to engage more, even in places like Roblox, and are much more likely to pay for interactive or engaging sports experiences and digital goods.

As Millennial and Gen-Z purchasing power grows even stronger, it will be important for sports and athletic brands to carve out their spaces in the Metaverse - whether that's monetizing wearables such as jerseys, collectibles such as trading cards, or experiences such as virtual live streamed matches.

Don't lose your first-mover advantage. Send an email to contact@ninedigital.xyz to learn how we can help you monetize your athletic brand in the Metaverse.

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