As FTX's 19-year, $135M arena naming rights deal with the Heat is arguably the country’s highest-profile blockchain partnership to date (the company also has a deal with Warriors G Stephen Curry), NBA fans are among the most likely of U.S. sports fans to have bought -- or intend to soon buy -- cryptocurrency and NFTs, according to new Nielsen Fan Insights data. The data comes from Nielsen’s survey of 15,000 respondents ages 16-69 from March-September.
DIGGING IN: In total, 4.2% of NBA fans currently use a crytpo trading platform like FTX to manage their crypto investments. Among the leagues tracked in the study, only MLS fans had a higher rate of adoption, at 5.5%. Around 3.1 million NBA fans currently have investments in blockchain products or assets like crypto or NFTs. SBJ Atlas reports that in addition to FTX’s two partnerships, nine team-level deals have also been struck, including Chiliz (Celtics, Hornets, Rockets, Magic and 76ers); StormX (Trail Blazers); Crypto.com (76ers); Ankr (Kings); and Voyager (Mavericks). Through Monday, no blockchain companies have advertised during a nationally televised NBA game this season.
