Kobe Bryant Fans Launch NFTs to Support Charity, Includes Fan Photo Gallery
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Basketball fans are reviving the official website of Kobe Bryant to launch NFT art collectibles for charity. The proceeds from sales would go entirely to support the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation set up by Bryant and his wife.
New Kobe Bryant NFT Project Launches Presale
The KB24 NFT team of entrepreneurs, fans, and artists premiered a sneak peek at the new project, showcasing an art piece with the words coming soon. The group also released a rollout for the NFT project which will be released in the coming weeks. Among the first attractions is an airdrop to early registrants, as well as some lucky fans.
The project listed on OpenSea, one of the largest NFT marketplaces, specifies that all proceeds from the initial sales will go to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Other incentives include prizes ranging from rare NFTs to courtside tickets for a Lakers game.
The presale which lasted two days received more than 7,000 reservations on the KB24 website. Those lucky enough to purchase a Kobe Bryant NFT will be supporting a charitable cause dedicated to underprivileged kids in sports. Additionally, fans will have a chance to own one-of-a-kind memorabilia honoring Bryant’s legacy.
Taking Back the KB24 Name
Many fans will recognize the KB24 name from Bryants official website launched in 2006. This site gave the basketball legend a way to interact with fans through a forum while offering limited edition merchandise. The domain name became something akin to a digital community and was recognized by diehard basketball fans.
After Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016, the domain expired and popped up for sale in a secondary online market. Afterwards it was bought and used as a way to redirect hopeful fans to scams and other false leads. This damaged the trust and reputation of the KB24 name until two ambitious entrepreneurs took it back.
Andy Treys and Sako Waves are digital marketers who saw a great opportunity in the defunct website domain. They understood the value it held for fans worldwide particularly because they visited the site while it was still under Bryants control.
We grew up on the site, said Andy Treys. We wanted to keep it forever, just like a signed Kobe jersey or basketball, but in this case there is only one KB24.com.
The pair specialize in using influencers and viral marketing to launch startups and help brands grow. They consulted with several experts, including their own attorney, to understand how they could reclaim the KB24 domain and use it to aid with charity.
The result is a way to leverage fan support and loyalty to one of the greatest players of all time to help his sports foundation with a Kobe Bryant NFT. This could eventually serve as a future model to help fund charities using digital assets.
KB24 NFT Project Rollout
So far we know that there will be a total of 10,000 unique NFTs which feature different moments and achievements from Bryants career. The purpose of creating these digital pieces is to create and preserve these moments so that fans can hold a part of his legacy.
Fans had to register by September 13th, 2021 to reserve a spot for the official presale. Notably, the presale includes several contests announced on the KB24 Discord server for unregistered fans to win presale access. The project is set to bring in $3 million for the charity foundation, with an additional $50 million potentially generated through perpetuity sales.
One notable feature which is sure to attract fans is a photo memory wall which will appear on the website. Anyone who owns a Kobe Bryant NFT will be able to post their favorite photo or memory of the basketball great.
Perhaps some of these exclusive Kobe picturess should be listed on one of the best NFT marketplaces to buy & sell photography though. High quality pictures of the NBA legend and philanthropist have major historical value worldwide because of his legacy.
Currently there is no official partnership between KB24 NFT and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. However, the team has reached out to the charity and are awaiting a response. While no other NFT projects have partnered with the foundation founded by Kobe Bryant in the past, the team of entrepreneurs and experts are hoping this time will be different.
