May 11, 2021 – The Charlotte Hornets announced today that the team will launch its first-ever commemorative NFT during the May 13 game against the L.A. Clippers, becoming one of the first U.S. professional sports teams to mint an NFT. This limited-edition NFT will be the first in a series of Hornets commemorative NFTs featuring artwork in the form of digitally designed commemorative game tickets that will be available to fans.
Fans in attendance at the Hornets Fan Appreciation Night on May 13 will have the opportunity to purchase from a limited release of the commemorative NFT through the Hornets App for $4.99 in U.S. currency; cryptocurrency is not required. In recognition of the Hornets inaugural season (1988-89), there will be 88 NFTs minted on the Flow Blockchain. The design of the commemorative ticket will debut for the first time publicly during the May 13 game.
“The Hornets are thrilled to be one of the first professional sports teams to introduce to our fans a series of commemorative NFTs,” said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “Innovation is in the DNA of the Hornets organization, dating back to our original uniforms and colors, and we wanted to offer our fans the opportunity to participate in the excitement, popularity and cutting-edge nature of NFTs. We take pride in the fact that these are fan-friendly NFTs with a very low barrier to entry. We think our fans will enjoy the design, and we look forward to growing in this space in the future.”
The Hornets will launch additional commemorative NFTs as part of a collectible series, including during potential games in the State Farm Play-In Tournament and NBA Playoffs. These dates will be announced later. The Hornets worked with Dapper Labs and Mint to launch the first sports team NFT on the Flow Blockchain. The Hornets in-house creative department designed the digital artwork and collaborated with other departments across the organization to bring it to life and make it available to fans.
"I love the Hornets NFTs because they're historic yet accessible to every fan,” said Roham Gharegozlou, CEO of Dapper Labs. "These game tickets are collectible memorabilia that let fans keep and relive a moment forever."
"We are thrilled to be working with the Hornets to help bring this unique NFT to Hornets fans," said Joseph Djenandji, CEO of Mint. "This innovative concept bridges the offline and online world by linking an emotional experience to a digital collectible."
Tickets for the May 13 game, and all Hornets home games, are available above or ticketmaster.com, on the Hornets App or via phone at 1-800-4NBA-TIX.