Thirteen teams from the National Football League (NFL) announced on Wednesday, the 13th, their partnerships with the Fan Token platform, Socios.com, following the example of the New England Patriots.
The teams are Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Commanders.
Socios’ current business model is strongly present in European football, as the company signed an agreement with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the entity responsible for organizing the sport, in February. The platform still has arrangements with some of the biggest clubs such as Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United and Paris St. Germain.
Unlike in Europe, Socios’ deals in the US have yet to include the launch of tokens, largely due to regulatory concerns. The contracts are described by the teams as “cross-platform marketing” deals that encompass in-stadium advertising and Socios-driven fan experiences, such as player encounters, but no tokens — yet.
“Regulation is not a concern, it is an educational process,” Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of Socios, told CoinDesk in an interview. “In most countries in the world, you have a clear regulatory framework; in the US is still not completely clear. Most entities are trying to figure out what is the best way to actually launch a product, and in our case, that’s what we were doing with league teams.”
The NFL, in particular, has some of the most confusing rules regarding digital assets. The league announced a temporary ban on all cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) deals in September last year, but relaxed its policy in March to include sponsorship deals but not the promotion of specific cryptocurrencies.
However, it is worth remembering that the league itself explored blockchain-based tickets in November, while players like Tom Brady have long been involved in their own businesses linked to this sector.
Socios.com also has agreements with several NBA teams.
The Socios.com platform is not intended to be limited to football and football partnerships. The company announced deals with 24 National Basketball Association (NBA) teams in October, though a representative said the number is now 28.
“No one we talk to is against technology. It’s a matter of process. Normally, no one wants to be the first person to close, but no one wants to be the last either,” concluded Dreyfus.
 teams announced Wednesday their partnerships with the Fan Token platform, Socios.com.){kind=link}