Under Armour Steps Into the Metaverse With ‘Wearable’ Steph Curry Sneakers
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Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry is partnering with sports apparel brand Under Armour on an NFT drop to celebrate his new record as the National Basketball Association’s all-time top three-point shooter.
In honor of this record-breaking shot, the collection will feature 2,974 non-fungible tokens that are digital replicas of the Under Armour-made “Curry Flow 9″ sneakers Curry was wearing when he broke NBA legend Ray Allen’s record on Dec. 14.
The Genesis Curry Flow NFT collection is the first wearable, cross-platform sneaker NFT, according to Under Armour. Metaverse-trotting sneakerheads, rejoice: The virtual kicks can be worn across three metaverses – Decentraland, The Sandbox and Gala Games (in various pixel styles).
Metaverse arms race
With this first NFT drop, Under Armour follows its two largest competitors, Nike and Adidas, into the world of digital collectibles.
Germany’s Adidas recently partnered with Bored Ape Yacht Club on a metaverse sneaker project, and earlier this month, Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike acquired virtual sneaker company RTFKT.
Read more: Sportswear Giant Nike Purchases NFT Fashion and Collectibles Startup RTFKT
The Under Armour collection will drop at 1 a.m. UTC on Dec. 22 (8 p.m. EST on Dec. 21). Each NFT will be priced at $333, and all proceeds will go to children’s sports charities.
In Gala Games’ Town Star simulation game, players will be able to use the Genesis Curry Flow NFTs to get in-game rewards.
“We could not have picked a more historic moment for Gala Games to enter sports collectibles for the first time,” wrote Gala Games Chief Strategy Officer James Olden in a press release. “We are thrilled to be the only platform for this drop that offers play-to-earn utility in-game that truly rewards players.”
The Genesis Curry Flow NFT drop isn’t Curry’s first NFT rodeo. On Dec. 17, Curry launched another collection of 2,974 NFTs – portraits of himself, not digital shoes – commemorating his achievement.
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