Introduction
Manchester United, one of the world's most iconic football clubs, has introduced Fantasy United, the Premier League’s first Web3 fantasy football game, powered by the Tezos blockchain. This innovative project merges digital collectibles with an interactive fantasy football experience, allowing fans to collect player cards and form fantasy teams, thus enhancing fan engagement and modernizing the concept of football fandom.
Project Details and Fan Engagement
Fantasy United is part of a series of digital initiatives by Manchester United aimed at boosting fan interaction and modernizing the football landscape. For the 2024/25 season, the club has released cards featuring all players from the men's squad, including new signings like Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro. These cards come in Classic, Rare, and Ultra-Rare editions, are hand-drawn, and updated with real-time statistics.
Fans can use these cards to create five-player teams and participate in Fantasy United, where they compete in mini-leagues and earn points based on real-world performances such as goals, assists, tackles, and saves by the Red Devils' players. Throughout the season, fans will receive updates on the most selected players and strategies used by club legends and fantasy football experts. Additionally, they can compete directly against former Manchester United players in the Legends Leagues, adding an extra layer of excitement.
Game Launch and Early Access
Fantasy United will kick off with the Premier League's opening match on August 16, when Manchester United faces Fulham. Early access to the cards was granted to Devil-holders, the club’s most loyal fans already in possession of the original digital collection. All other fans could start collecting cards from July 31, 2024.
Digital Community and Engagement
Manchester United has fostered a vibrant digital community through its initiatives, amassing nearly 100,000 members on its Discord channel. This platform allows fans to interact, learn about new releases, and participate in live Q&A sessions with players and club staff. The partnership with Tezos has significantly enhanced fan interaction, setting a new standard in modern football fandom.
Collaboration with Tezos and Community Impact
The collaboration between Manchester United and Tezos has been highly effective since its inception in 2022 with the launch of The Devils, the club’s original digital collection featuring 7,777 unique characters inspired by the Red Devils’ history, which sold out quickly. Sunil Singhvi, Head of Culture at Trilitech, Tezos R&D Hub, highlighted that this new initiative enables fans to connect more deeply with their favorite club:
"Through dynamically updating collectibles, supporters can cheer for their heroes and see the season unfold."
Wider Web3 Adoption in Football
Manchester United's venture into Web3 is part of a broader trend of football clubs embracing blockchain technology to engage with supporters. For instance, Manchester City, their historic rivals, recently announced a partnership with Quidd to launch a series of Citizens-themed NFT cards. This collaboration aims to provide fans with exclusive digital memorabilia, along with special benefits like merchandise, event tickets, and unique experiences.
This initiative aligns with Manchester City’s broader strategy to engage in the NFT and Web3 spaces, building on previous successful ventures. The club has launched several NFT collections, including commemorative works and partnerships with companies like OKX and Sony. Last season, fans could claim hand-drawn digital collectibles at all home matches for both the men's and women's teams, with over 750,000 requests made.
The partnership between Quidd and Manchester City marks Quidd’s second agreement with a professional football team, following a similar deal with Newcastle United.
Conclusion
Manchester United’s launch of Fantasy United, built on the Tezos blockchain, represents a significant step in the integration of Web3 technology in sports. This initiative not only enhances fan engagement through digital collectibles and interactive gameplay but also positions the club at the forefront of modernizing football fandom. As more clubs like Manchester City also embrace blockchain technology, the landscape of fan interaction and engagement is set to evolve dramatically.