Yessports launches NFT Esports Platform

Esports fan engagement company Yesports has officially launched its B2B platform that allows teams to create customizable NFT memberships to engage with fans. Yessports had hinted at the launch of this platform in January this year, when it raised $2.25 million in a seed funding round from Polygon Studios, Alphabit, Cosmos, Kernel Ventures, Mozaik Capital and NGC Ventures. The murmurs then were around Yesports building the first Metaverse Engagement Platform in the esports world, with only the fan engagement mission clear.

Customized fan experience

With the latest update, the behavior of this platform has become a little clearer. It will follow a platform-as-a-service model, which will allow esports teams and organizations to sign up and create customized experiences for their fans to grow their base and revenue.

These engagement experiences will mirror what has already become a standard Web3 and NFT experience, involving different levels of membership that unlock different rewards. These levels and rewards will be tailored by the team themselves, and can vary from merchandise sales, to social capital, to direct access to teams and players.

Yessports’ founder, Sebastian Quinn, had hinted during their fundraising announcement in January that this venture would be the step up the industry needs when it comes to Web3 engagement.

“Web3 and the new metaverse allow for much greater fan participation, engagement and ownership,” said Quinn. “Yesports is the Web3 upgrade the esports sector has been waiting for and will act as a portal for esports fans to participate in this new paradigm. We look forward to building with teams around the world.”

Six teams signed up

So far, they’ve made progress building with teams. Yessports’ website currently lists six teams prominently among those who have signed up, including Talon Esports, INFINITY, Renegades, BOOM Esports and Team Empire. INFINITY, the 2021 Liga Latinoamérica champions, came aboard the Yesports Metaverse in July.

The allure for Esports teams of coming up with such a project was somewhat explained by Sean Zhang, CEO and co-founder of another of Yessports’ partners, Talon Esports.

“Yesports has provided us with turnkey tools and a revolutionary framework to bring Web3 functionality to our audience, unlocking unparalleled engagement and direct-to-consumer benefits. NFT membership will help us create new revenue streams while strengthening existing ones and giving fans new ways to show support and loyalty.”

Yesports are by no means the only Web3 providers in this area. In July, FITCHIN, a blockchain-based gaming ecosystem, raised $3.5 million in seed funding to accelerate its own advancements in the field. FITCHING itself has KRU Esports and Furious Gaming signed up to their platform, giving a solid push to Web3 and NFT-based engagement in the macro timeline.

Steven Bryson-Haynes, who was VP of business development for NFT and Gaming at Polygon Studios during Yessports’ seed rapping, said the company had shown promise to emerge as a valuable player in this race.

“The team at Yessports is building something extremely valuable for the rapidly evolving Web3 landscape,” he said. “The esports sector’s fan base and viewership is constantly expanding, and Yessports will galvanize this by enabling an outlet for fan engagement. We are very excited to be part of this round and look forward to supporting the project in the coming months.”