It's no surprise to hear that Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), is facing criticism once again for a questionable marketing decision.
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, gained popularity in the digital market but have since lost their appeal. NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that cannot be replicated and can represent digital or real-world items like artwork and real estate. While some NFTs were once sold for millions of dollars, their value has significantly decreased, with most now worth only a couple of hundred dollars.
Despite the declining interest in NFTs, Gary Bettman decided to create NHL-themed NFTs long after the hype had faded. One particular NFT featuring Matthew Tkachuk, limited to a single copy, was sold at auction for over $30,000, with the proceeds going to two children's hospitals.
The NHL is collaborating with Upper Deck, a sports card company, to develop these NFT collectibles. Jason Masherah, president of Upper Deck, expressed the intention to cater to collectors and provide them with a secure digital collecting experience, ensuring their digital collectibles remain accessible in the long run.
