BitWallet is now the Houston Texan’s official digital currency wallet, the first team in the NFL to offer cryptocurrency as a payment option for suites.
Fans of the Texans can purchase single-game suites through cryptocurrency with BitWallet as an intermediary. No other team in the NFL has offered a service like this before, making this partnership a historic moment for the league.
“We are proud to partner with BitWallet to offer an exciting option for our fans who are looking to enjoy Texans game day in one of our suites. BitWallet is a perfect collaborator as we continue our efforts to move our organization forward in new and innovative ways,” said Greg Grissom, president of the Houston Texans.
CEO of BitWallet, John T.Perron, has expressed his praise for how the Texans are being the first to adopt digital currency payments. He also added that he was honored that BitWallet would be the first cryptocurrency company to offer such a service to fans of the Texans.
“Digital currency has become a primary means of payment and by partnering with BitWallet, the Texans are leading the way in the NFL,” Perrone said.
NFL and Crypto
The NFL has had a rocky history with cryptocurrency. In September of 2021, the league banned teams from accepting cryptocurrency sponsors or selling NFTs while it took time to develop an official strategy. While teams were unable to form official partnerships during this period, individuals such as Trevor Lawrence, a quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, partnered with Adidas to release NFTs.
It took until March of 2022 for the NFL to lift the bans and allow teams to sign cryptocurrency-related deals “provided that the companies in question and the specific products being promoted have been properly vetted.”
The league remained cautious towards blockchain industries due to swiftly changing regulations and wariness of potential links to illegal activities, but multiple teams have partnered with cryptocurrency companies.
The Dallas Cowboys teamed up with Blockchain.com, being one of the first teams to strike a deal with cryptocurrency companies after the ban was lifted.. The partnership started with a promotion for new users, giving them access to events and resources designed to help them learn more about the crypto industry.
Other big crypto companies such as FTX, Coinbase, and Crypto.com purchased advertisement slots for February 13, 2021, to get their names into the heads of NFL fans. All of these actions point towards an industry initiative to make cryptocurrency a normal and accepted part of the NFL.
The NFL itself partnered with Mythical Games to create NFL Rivals, an NFT-based video game set to launch in 2023. The game will allow players to compete against others by acting as a general manager of a team, assembling their roster by collecting NFTs of their favorite players in a play-and-own system.
Besides the NFL and the teams, other companies are also finding ways to merge blockchain with the NFL. Sony, a software giant, partnered with NFT Tech through Hawk-Eye Innovations to bring NFTs into the fantasy sports space in August 2022. Hawk-Eye Innovations is notably a partner of the NFL as well.