Man City and Oaks have released shirts linked to rare NFTs

Premier League football club Manchester City is launching a new set of Invincible Tokens (NFTs) that will allow fans to win some exclusive jerseys and matchday experiences.

The “Invisible City Shirts” campaign is the latest move in a long-term partnership with cryptocurrency exchange OKX. Users can redeem digital collections on the OKX app, offering a chance to win redesigned and commemorative football shirts based on the rarity of the NFT.

Cointelegraph spoke exclusively to OKX Global Marketing Officer Haider Rafique and Man City Chief Marketing and Fan Experience Officer Nuria Tare to discuss the details of the new campaign.

The limited edition jerseys feature the Lancashire Rose and Manchester worker bee hand-painted designs by artist Christian Jeffery.

Rafique explains that the rarity of NFTs is determined by an algorithm. Five ultra-rare NFTs will receive an on-field experience, two tickets to a Manchester City match and a limited-edition City shirt.

An additional five rare NFTs include a stadium tour experience, a hospitality ticket and a “The Roses and the Bees” design jersey. OKX users can withdraw NFTs at no cost on the OKX marketplace.

Nuria said the NFT launch was part of the Premier League club's strategy to attract a “more tech-savvy, open to innovation and technology” audience. Digital ownership is another aspect Man City is keen to bring to its fans. Tare explained:

“We think it's important to be able to hold that piece digitally. I think that's one of the beauties of Web 3 – it changes the ownership process.”

Man City's chief marketing officer said the club will continue to explore Web3 options in partnership with OKX and other channels. Tare said the club is actively experimenting with new technology in the Web2 and Metaverse environments.

Man City In late 2022, he entered the world of Roblox. Tare describes Web3 environments as very progressive and exciting.

“Technology evolves and applications evolve. You can add layers of sophistication, creativity and co-creation. We're definitely willing to explore more.”

In recent years, Rafique has actively driven OKX's high-profile sports partnerships with Manchester City and Formula 1 team McLaren. The exchange has been exploring various marketing initiatives to reach the fan base of these sports brands.

The OKX CMO explained that for the past three years, they have been laying the groundwork to provide a service to sports fans and Web3 users. It aims to provide the platform for creating more resource-based ecosystems, starting with basic NFTs, related to physical goods. Rafique said:

“I don't think it's a lack of purpose. I think it is the lack of production and technological infrastructure; And this comes as the industry continues to advance and our partnership continues to advance.

OKEX first partnered with Man City in March 2022 before expanding its sponsorship as the club's official training kit partner for the 2022–2023 season. In the year In June 2023, OKX closed a new deal to become Urban's official sleeve partner.

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