LOS ANGELES & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autograph, the company partnering with the world’s biggest icons to usher in a new era of digital collecting, and co-founded by Tom Brady, has announced a deal with iconic basketball brand SLAM to create and distribute digital-collectible content on DraftKings Marketplace (Nasdaq: DKNG). As a launch partner for their basketball vertical, Autograph users will have access to SLAM’s 300-plus cover archive dating back to 1994, featuring some of the greatest basketball players over the last three decades.
SLAM will be a launch partner for Autograph’s basketball vertical with iconic magazine covers that feature players ranging from Allen Iverson and Vince Carter to Devin Booker and Sabrina Ionescu. The magazines themselves have been collector items for over 27 years, and the cover remains the Holy Grail for all basketball players. As the most authentic brand in basketball storytelling, SLAM has grown into a global lifestyle brand and multimedia property with 20-plus social channels, a burgeoning merchandise division and multiple franchise events annually with over 16 million engaged followers across the globe.
“SLAM is uniquely positioned to bring the Autograph community some of the most unique and historic basketball NFT content,” said Dillon Rosenblatt, CEO and Co-founder of Autograph. “We’re proud to announce this partnership and we’re looking forward to the multitude of drops and exclusive releases to come.”
The Autograph NFTs previously dropped on DraftKings Marketplace included such star athletes as Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Tony Hawk. Autograph recently announced a similar deal with Lionsgate in which the companies will collaborate to create digital collectible content based on the flagship movie franchises later this year.
“We’ve been constructing a portfolio of companies with a specific focus on the intersection of sports media and blockchain technology, and this deal sits squarely at that crossover,” said Matt Aronson, President of SLAM’s parent company JDS Sports. “Autograph is introducing a best-in-class NFT experience for the mainstream. We’re thrilled to work with the team to bring SLAM’s archive of collectible covers to the digital world.”
SLAM previously partnered with New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Zion Williamson for a first-of-its-kind NFT drop in April, which included two SLAM covers featuring Williamson. The SLAM x ZION collection also included four limited-edition versions of both covers — Basic, Gold, Gold Autographed, and a 1-of-1 Platinum Autographed. The first cover, SLAM 222, was shot at Duke University in April 2018 immediately before Williamson declared for the NBA Draft, while the second, SLAM 228, was shot in New Orleans in June 2020 before the season restarted in Orlando.
About Autograph
Autograph is an NFT platform that brings together the most iconic brands and legendary names in sports, entertainment and culture to create unique digital collections and experiences for users around the world. The start studded Advisory Board includes Derek Jeter, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, Tony Hawk, Tiger Woods and more. Co-founded by Tom Brady and headquartered in Los Angeles, Autograph is ushering in a new era of collecting through a streamlined and inclusive process, authentic and creative products and exclusive partnerships.
About SLAM
For 27 years and counting, SLAM has been the most authentic brand in basketball storytelling. What started as a magazine in 1994 has now grown into a lifestyle brand and multimedia property with 20-plus social channels, a burgeoning merchandise division, multiple franchise events annually and over 16 million engaged followers across the globe. SLAM is owned by JDS Sports, a sports and entertainment holding company that was also an early backer of Autograph.
About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries. DraftKings’ Sportsbook is live with mobile and/or retail betting operations in the United States pursuant to regulations in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 7 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, PGA TOUR and UFC as well as an authorized gaming operator of the NBA and MLB, an official sports betting partner of the NFL, an official betting operator of PGA TOUR and the official betting operator of UFC. Launched in August 2021, DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.