Published on: 25/05/2022

E-commerce giant eBay partners with OneOf to launch sport-themed NFT collection

American multinational e-commerce company eBay recently announced a partnership with green Web 3 company OneOf. Through the partnership, eBay and OneOf will launch a limited edition hockey-themed NFT collection called Genesis.

The San Jose-based company earlier confirmed via a press release that Genesis would comprise 13 limited digital collectibles featuring iconic athletes that were shown on Sports Illustrated cover releases throughout the years. Moreover, the company also confirmed that the starting price of each NFT in Genesis would be $10.

The company’s first attempt to venture into NFT is a follow-up to what was said by company CEO Jamie Iannone in February that eBay was keen to integrate cryptocurrency payments to charm GenZ and millennial audiences.

Previously in May last year, the online commerce company announced that digital collectibles, including video clips, images, and trading cards, are allowed to be sold on the platform. The company has often shown huge interest and optimism in an industry that is widely considered far from mature.

OneOf helps eBay enter NFT

eBay has previously tried to enter the yet-to-mature collectible sector of the digital space industry. Company vice president of collectibles, electronics, and home, Dawn Block has said that NFTs and blockchain technology revolutionized the online scene of collectibles and memorabilia.

“Through our partnership with OneOf, eBay is now making coveted NFTs more accessible to a new generation of collectors everywhere. This builds upon our commitment to deliver high passion, high-value items to the eBay community of buyers and sellers,” Block said.

“NFTs and blockchain know-how are revolutionizing the collectibles house, and are more and more considered as an funding alternative for fans.”

Moreover, in celebration of the launch of Genesis, eBay took to Twitter to announce the launch of its first-ever exclusive NFT drop, featuring Canadian former NHL professional Wayne Gretzky. The price starts from $10 for every drop and the highest items are valued at $1,500, as per multiple reports.

Other than the price range of each drop, eBay’s Genesis NFT collection will also feature a rarity tier list, similar to other NFT collections. The tiers are green, gold, platinum, and diamond. It is likely that each tier will have different prices. The higher a drop’s rarity is, the more expensive it gets.

Former player and head coach Gretzky, who accumulated 20 seasons of playing in the NHL, shared his excitement for being included in eBay’s Genesis collection.

“Forty years ago, I was grateful to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, it was a monumental moment in my life. I’m honored to bring this collectible experience to my hockey fans who have followed my career for decades,” the 61-year-old said.

OneOf CEO Lin Dai asserted that the world of NFTs and cryptocurrencies is an amateur-friendly environment, including eBay’s Genesis. Therefore, people who are new to the scene have nothing to worry about.

“You do not have to be a crypto knowledgeable to purchase, promote, and acquire NFTs. OneOf and eBay are bringing transformative Web3 know-how to the following 100 million non-crypto-native mass shoppers,” Dai in an announcement.