Animoca Brands Corporation Ltd’s subsidiary Be Media has launched Ripper Skipper 2022, the first drop of limited edition NFT digital collectibles by AFL Mint, the home of officially licensed Australian Football League NFTs.
The NFT drop comprises eight major moments in total to collect, featuring the captains from the 18 teams in the Australian Football League and showcasing different highlights from the 2021 season.
Launched in April, AFL Mint has set the benchmark for NFTs within Australian sporting codes, allowing fans to own, collect and trade their favourite elements of the game and support their favourite teams and players.
Furthermore, the program will develop to merge online experiences in the metaverse with real-life experiences on the game day such as ticketing and membership upgrades, chances to win tickets to major games, prizes, virtual reality experiences within the grounds on game day and much more.
“Emerging open metaverse”
Animoca co-founder and executive chairman Yat Siu said: “I am very pleased to see this project come to life, and to see the unique game that is ‘Aussie rules’ showcased on the global stage.
“Animoca Brands is excited to offer big Australian brands like the AFL the chance to enter our global ecosystem and explore the exciting opportunities presented by the emerging open metaverse.”
NFT drop
The NFTs of Ripper Skipper 2022 have been launched to members of the public who had signed up to the allow list, selling for A$49 for a surprise three-pack.
The collection of AFL moments is available in three tiers of rarity, with the cards being revealed once the purchased pack has been opened.
As a special launch initiative, the current Ripper Skipper purchases provide a 10% chance of obtaining the extremely limited digital AFL Mint Genesis Ball.
AFL Mint confirms that NFTs released in the future will offer a much lower drop chance of this limited item.
Commenting on the NFT drop, Be Media founder and CEO Jordan Fogarty said: “We are excited to launch the first season-based NFT project in Australia and to allow fans to own a slice of our Aussie game through these AFL Mint moments.
“This is the first step in a very exciting multi-year product roadmap.”
About AFL Mint
AFL Mint is the only official marketplace to collect licensed AFL NFTs, offering exclusive AFL items showcasing iconic moments, spectacular highlights, and champion players, that are unique to the web3 and metaverse space.
The launch of Ripper Skipper 2022 sees the AFL join an elite class of international sporting codes that have launched similar NFT series, including NBA Top Shot, the ICC’s FanCraze, MotoGP™ Ignition, and UFC Strike.
AFL executive general manager Kylie Rogers said: “The AFL is excited to release our first AFL Mint drop.
“Our players and clubs are excited to provide fans a new way to engage with footy and celebrate the moments that make our game so great.
“The Ripper Skippers collection celebrates the incredible leaders in our game, with all 18 AFL captains minted as our first official NFTs.
“Through our AFL Mint brand, we will launch exciting new moments across our men’s and women’s competitions, plus celebrate past greats and other product releases that will bring a unique fan experience we haven’t seen before.”