CREATION OF A NEW CATEGORY OF INVESTED SPORTS FAN

Tennis Grand Slam the Australian Open (AO) linked its first non-fungible token (NFT) collection ‘AO Artballs’ to Hawk-Eye data setting real world utility and tech firsts. This engaged, united and ignited tennis fans in a completely new way, creating an entirely new category of invested sports fans, globally.

AO was the first grand slam to virtualize its actual precinct in AO Metaverse. We recreated the entire AO precinct of Melbourne Park as a Metaverse experience in Decentraland where quests and tennis challenges could be completed to earn POAPs, NFTs and wearables.

SITUATION

AO strives to be the world’s most innovative, accessible, inclusive & entertaining sporting event. The hiatus in spectatorship as Melbourne had the strictest lockdowns and 50% capacity restrictions a unique opportunity to rethink the way tennis fans participate in live events.

BRIEF

• Provide better access and engagement to AO, meanwhile grow our global fanbase.

• Enable fans globally to own a piece of the AO & be invested until match point and beyond.

• Launch our stake in web3 in an ingenious way.

• Without the luxury of player & Code IP agreements that NBA Topshots have.

OBJECTIVES

1. Enable global tennis fans to own a piece of AO22

2. Unite fans in the brave world of web3, enviable of other tournaments & sponsors

3. A truly unique web3 experience befitting of the AO

4. Raise funds for the non-profit Australian Tennis Foundation & value for tennis fans

AO METAVERSE

As the first grand slam to virtualize its precinct in the metaverse we enabled global fans to explore the AO from anywhere in the world, complete challenges, view unique content, interact with players and fans.

AO created a truly decentralized tennis experience in partnership with Decentraland, one of the largest virtual reality platforms, and Vegas City, one of the largest districts.

HAWK-EYE ENABLED NFTS

AO linked its first non-fungible token (NFT) collection ‘AO Artballs’ to Hawk-Eye match data setting real world utility and tech firsts for tennis fan holders to own a piece of the AO, invest and earn IRL and metaverse perks.

EXTENDING FAN INVESTMENT BEYOND THE TOURNAMENT

Leveraging fan culture associated with our live tennis tournament and web3 culture we have enabled fans to own, shape and benefit from the future of the AO with us.

ACCESS AND INVEST IN THE NEW ARENA OF AO

Give Fans from anywhere in the world, the opportunity to explore and engage with the AO Melbourne Park precinct, virtually with enough real life references for it to be relevant and new all-access experiences that propel the AO Metaverse in a new arena.

Make visitors …

• Come for exclusive experiences around tennis

• Stay for player, web3 and community meetups

• Return to win NFTs, POAPs (blockchain traceable badges) and wearables

• Tell others about the first-time experiences & interactions

Partner with emerging talent that bring new, fresh and cult audiences

• Influential tennis players into crypto: Thanasi Kokkinakis, Alexei Popyrin, Marcus Daniell

• Epic web3 legends with cult followings: Decentraland, Metakey, Vegas City

• Enviable entertainment acts: Steve Aoki, Tigerlily and Masked Wolf

A VIRTUAL REPLICA

We replicated the best elements of Melbourne Park in 3D including the Rod Laver Area, Grand Slam Oval, New Beach Club & Kids Ball Park, ~ 50% of the precinct.

UNPARALLELED GLOBAL ACCESS

Gave a voyeuristic virtual look with more exclusive access than attending visitors & broadcast might captured from behind-the-scenes footage from 300+ cameras including the exclusive player arrivals area & the practice village.

Opening up unparalleled access globally & free to a sports property unencumbered by fragmented broadcast rights or covid restrictions, live footage from press conferences in real-time, AO Radio 24/7 & 50 years of archived footage.

PLAY-2-EARN GAMIFICATION

Attendees could play-2-earn via tennis games & daily quests to claim NFTs, POAPs badges & wearables.

MEETUPS & PARTIES

Partners Metakey’s streamed live with players Thanasi Kokkinakis & Alexei Popyrin & held a free online closing party with epic artists: Aoki, Tigerlily & Masked Wolf.

• At 175,000 unique sessions from 157 countries, we’re the highest attended events that’s ever taken place in Decentraland.

• Visitors spent an average of 16 minutes per area, a peak of 903 days 9 hours 27 minutes and 50 seconds on cumulative total viewing time.

• Sold out in 3 minutes raising A$1.89m in new revenue and A$7m in secondary sales within the first 2 weeks.

• Enabled 4060 fans to own AO22 from 27 countries

• Within 2 hours trending on OpenSea ranking 15th.

• Super rare collectibles: #2693 with AO’s first logo sold for ~A$27k. #1688 marked Nadal’s incredible 5 set comeback went for A$12k.

• 1m+ estimated views in global PR: Forbes, the first NFT Metaverse appearance on Australia’s number #1 breakfast show & more https://bit.ly/3°p1bXn

• A$946k for non-profit Australian Tennis Foundation impacting Indigenous access to tennis.