- The Cardano Foundation announces a technical partnership with Epoch Sports and Merchadise, launching a blockchain-authenticated limited edition jersey.
- The collaboration aims to bring blockchain technology to the forefront of the licensed merchandise industry, offering improved authenticity and protection against counterfeiting.
A Blockchain Revolution in Sports Merchandising
The Cardano Foundation recently revealed its latest technical collaboration supporting both Epoch Sports, the US-based sports brand, and Merchadise, the full-stack apparel ecosystem. The partnership was announced at the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship, a massive quadrennial sporting event, with the initial release of 6000 limited edition commemorative jerseys.
Each limited-edition lacrosse jersey, authenticated on the Cardano blockchain, includes an NFC Epoch branded patch housing a digital NFT version of the jersey. This integration of blockchain technology with physical merchandise guarantees the authenticity of each item and allows customers to register their purchase. The NFC patches also grant access to exclusive rewards and special offers.
The remainder of the NFC-enabled Commemorative Jerseys, equipped with linked NFTs, is set to be released on the Official 2023 World Lacrosse Championship’s web store later this month.
Enhancing IP Protection and Combatting Counterfeiting
This collaboration between the Cardano Foundation, Epoch Sports, and Merchadise signals a significant shift in the licensed merchandise industry towards blockchain adoption. NFC chips, coupled with NFTs in the form of secure blockchain records, will supersede conventional licensed intellectual property hologram tags on sports apparel. This change ensures enhanced authenticity for purchasers and enables license owners to fight counterfeiting more effectively.
Cardano’s blockchain attributes of scalability, cost-effectiveness, and speed allow businesses to deploy these solutions effortlessly. As the Premier Merchandising Sponsor of the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship, Epoch Sports, along with Merchadise, the technical partner, received the necessary support from the Cardano Foundation to bring about this groundbreaking integration of 6,000 jerseys.
Frederik Gregaard, CEO of the Cardano Foundation, and Alex Phelan, CEO of Merchadise, lauded the collaboration as a pivotal moment in licensed apparel. James Micelli, Principal of Epoch Sports, reiterated the immense potential of blockchain deployment in elevating consumer trust, boosting the value of leagues, teams, and sponsorships, and countering counterfeiting at an unprecedented level.
