Dapper to partner with the NFL in offering NFTs similar to NBA Top Shot: report

Dapper Labs is poised to announce a non-fungible token (NFT) product partnership with the National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association similar to NBA Top Shot.

If the deal pushes through, Dapper Labs’ product will be the NFL’s second-largest source of digital revenue, behind only EA Sports’ Madden.

The revenue sources would include royalties and a minimum guarantee.

The NFL and the NFLPA will also take equity in the digital platform.

Dapper and the NFL expect to launch the marketplace before the end of the season.

The deal would also make two of the top US leagues having an NFT deal with Dapper Labs.

One of the top three leagues, Major League Baseball, is operating an NFT product with Topps.

The NFL disallows teams to sign sponsorship deals with cryptocurrency firms or other blockchain-based initiatives. Teams were also prohibited from signing individual contracts for NFT products.

Many assumed that the prohibition was due to the NFL's plan to develop a league-wide initiative for NFTs.

Most top sports leagues in the US, including the NBA and MLB, have at least one fan engagement blockchain-based product. In addition, almost every major soccer team in Europe has an NFT deal.