Non-fungible tokens are the hot new thing out there. Web3 and all of that.

The Sixers launched their collection in 2021 (the right way), and now the Birds are getting involved:

I clicked on that link and went over to the Eagles section. The cheapest virtual ticket is going for $990. The most expensive one is $9,998.

What a deal!

There doesn’t seem to be a press release for this specific drop, but back in November, the NFL launched their marketplace and called it “NFL All Day.” It’s basically the pro football equivalent of NBA Top Shot.

If you’re not familiar with NFTs, they are basically “tokens” that represent unique ownership of a digital asset. Back in the day you used to collect trading cards. In the sports world, NFT is kind of like the spiritual successor to that, where you have a highlight or an image or something else that’s guaranteed to be unique because of “blockchain” technology, which creates a permanent and transparent ledger system for compiling data and tracking digital use. You can buy and sell these tokens online and go through the same kind of transactions you would with a physical item.

NFT can be scammy and ponzi scheme-like because these items don’t hold real world value. But in the Sixers’ case, they tied their NFT collection to tangible experiences. Winning bidders would get “unprecedented fan access, including 76ers memorabilia and experiences.” Further incentives for collecting included the chance to “unlock the right to redeem an original piece of the Philadelphia Spectrum court, custom jersey, personalized message from a 76ers Legend, and VIP access to a 76ers event.”

In this case, the NFL NFTs don’t seem to have that same tangible link. When I click on that thing above and go to the marketplace, it’s just a digital image of “virtual commemorative ticket.” If that’s your thing, go for it.