Premier League partners digital trading cards firm Sorare

• Premier League and Sorare announced the four-year deal on Monday.
• The licensing deal is worth £120 million (about $150 million).
• Premier League fans will be able to buy, trade and sell digital collectibles of their favourite teams and players while playing Sorare Manager.

The English Premier League has sealed a four-year licensing deal with Sorare, a French-based fantasy game and digital trading marketplace.

According to a report by CityAM, the deal is worth £120 million ($150 million).

Premier League expanding fans’ NFT experience

The partnership will allow football fans, especially of the English Premier League, from across the world to build teams and compete for huge rewards. Fans looking to become Sorare Managers can take part in the Ethereum-based non-fungible token (NFT) platform’s Premier League fantasy competition.

So, you want to manage your own Premier League club?

Build your squad on @Sorare, climb the ranks, and compete for big rewards – just like a real football club owner. #BuildYourLegacy

Play now: https://t.co/OTEH21MBEX pic.twitter.com/PqSXElKqJj

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 30, 2023

Fans can now tap into the NFT experience, enjoying their favourite sport via digital cards, Sorare noted in a blog post. Notably, fans will be able to collect, buy and trade licensed digital collectibles featuring players from the 20 Premier League clubs.

“The team and I at Sorare are beyond excited to announce an exclusive, deep partnership with the Premier League. What a crazy ride to get there, from our club deal with West Ham in 2019 to onboarding the 20 clubs of the football heavy-weight, watched by 800m+ in the world,” Nicholas Julia, co-founder and CEO of Sorare tweeted.

Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, said that fans’ support of teams and players has and continues to evolve. The goal is thus to look for more ways to engage the supporters, which this deal with Sorare offers.

“Sorare’s digital cards and innovative online game represent a new way for them to feel closer to the Premier League whether they are watching in the stadium or from around the world. We believe that Sorare are the ideal partner for the Premier League and we look forward to working closely together,” Masters added.

With this partnership, the PL becomes the latest to join a portfolio that includes top European leagues LaLiga, Bundesliga and Serie A. Sorare also has similar partnerships with the NBA and MLB. Sorare also has sports deals with over 300 clubs. 

Sorare credits these partnerships to the input of world-class athletes,including Serena Willians, Kylian Mbappe and Rudy Gobert among others.