FC Barcelona have launced an exclusive blockchain partnership with Chiliz
FC Barcelona have announced a new partnership deal with blockchain sports and entertainment fan engagement platform Chiliz.
The news comes just a week after the club’s new digital vision was launched, and it is hoped that by allowing them to take part in polls and surveys via Chiliz’s voting and rewards app Socios.com, fans will feel and become closer to the La Liga giants through the use of exclusive Barça Fan Tokens to be known as $BAR.
In 2020’s second quarter, up to 40 million of these will be made available to the Catalans’ 351 million supporters and followers worldwide at approximately $2.20 at the point of sale, with reward points later exchanged for “exclusive merchandise and unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences.”
This agreement comes as part of FC Barcelona’s global expansion strategy and, as per a press release, “reinforces its commitment to sourcing the best possible agreements in each category to help Barça to continue to lead the way not only on the field of play, but also in the field of partnerships and sports marketing”.
“Furthermore,” it was added, the new alliance “boosts FC Barcelona's commitment to looking to new digital channels and formats for connecting and generating engagement with their global audience”.
Made official at the Camp Nou by board of directors member and head of the club’s commercial area Josep Pont, plus Chiliz CEO Alexandre Dreyfus - who was presented with a special Blaugrana 2019/2020 shirt - Pont said that FC Barcelona were “proud to welcome Socios.com to the Barça family as a new global partner”.
“This agreement will give us the chance to set up innovative marketing and partnership activations with a clear focus on the digital realm to take the club closer to our fans around the world,” he continued, and also “forms part of FC Barcelona’s goal to become associated with leading brands that can help us consolidate our new commercial and digital strategy, with the development of new streams for the generation of resources helping to make us a benchmark both on and off the field.”
Dreyfus spoke of excitement in welcoming FC Barcelona to Socios.com, and “being even more excited to start engaging with their massive fan base around the world”.
“With over 300 million fans worldwide, Barça’s fandom spans countries as well as cultures. The club is without a doubt the most renowned and the most supported football club in the world and we can’t wait to see their fans start to influence club decisions,” he expanded further, before stating that “adding FC Barcelona fans to the Socios.com global community takes us one step closer to our goal of mainstream adoption of blockchain.”
“Every time a fan downloads the app,” it was claimed by Dreyfus, “we are furthering education, and every time a fan buys a Fan Token, we are strengthening the use cases of this innovative technology.”
