NewsReds launch LFC Heroes Club, a first in digital collectibles

• LFC launches official collection of digital artwork, known as NFTs
• Working in partnership with Sotheby’s, a leader in the digital artwork space
• Uses one of the most energy-efficient platforms available
• 50% of LFC’s funds raised from auction for LFC Foundation
• LFC’s NFTs are collectible digital artwork for supporters, not financial investments

A fun and innovative way to celebrate being an LFC fan, the collection features illustrations of 24 LFC men’s team players, bringing their individual and superhero characteristics to life.

LFC is committed to having a positive impact on the environment, as part of its dedicated sustainability initiative, The Red Way. Therefore, the three-day sale will run and be managed on an energy-efficient blockchain called Polygon.

Dedicated to making NFTs accessible to its entire fanbase, the club has created two categories of digital collectibles – a set of 24 unique ‘Legendary’ 1 of 1 NFTs, and a series of generative ‘Hero Edition’ NFTs that combine multiple player illustrations to produce a unique digital collectible for each fan.

The ‘Legendary’ and ‘Hero Edition’ digital collectibles will be available to purchase during a three-day sale from Wednesday March 30 to Friday April 1.

Within the sale window, the ‘Legendary’ 1 of 1 NFTs, which consist of 24 legendary heroes, will be made available to purchase through a live auction.

During the sale, fans will have the opportunity to own a unique randomly generated ‘Hero’ Edition, which will be revealed once the sale comes to an end – like opening a pack of football cards to give fans the same sense of excitement and anticipation. These will be priced at $75, around £56.

Alongside generating new and innovative opportunities for supporters to connect with their footballing heroes on the pitch, Liverpool FC is also committed to supporting its official charity, LFC Foundation, and recognising some of the outstanding work carried out by heroes off the pitch, day in and day out.

As such, half of LFC’s proceeds from the ‘Legendary’ 1 of 1 auction will go to supporting LFC Foundation to deliver life-changing charitable and community projects, with an additional 10 per cent from LFC’s limited edition ‘Hero’ sale and 10 per cent of all future resale royalties also going to LFC Foundation.

LFC Foundation is also creating its own LFC Foundation Heroes NFTs to celebrate outstanding staff members, whose contributions to the club’s charity have made a significant difference in the community.

Each Foundation hero has their own superpower, such as leadership, resilience and empathy, that they use continuously to help create life-changing opportunities for young people and families in underserved communities across Liverpool City Region.

Funds raised from the LFC Heroes Club NFT drop will continue to support the valuable work of LFC Foundation, including its education and employability programmes, inclusion and special educational needs, and disability support.

By owning an LFC NFT, supporters can also join an innovative fan community, with access to an LFC community forum, unique experiences, virtual hang-outs, competitions, LFC retail discounts, and more, all while raising money for LFC Foundation and supporting good causes in Liverpool and beyond.

The club would like to make it clear to supporters that its NFTs are digital collectible works of art and should not be considered investments.

Drew Crisp, senior vice-president of digital at Liverpool FC, said: “The LFC Heroes Club drop is a first-of-its-kind initiative, which seeks to bring a new, exciting and innovative way for supporters around the world to engage with the club. We always strive to adopt new emerging technology for the benefit of fans and club, while also being very conscious of our impact on the environment. This is why we have chosen to work with Sotheby’s due to its capability to create NFTs on an energy-efficient blockchain.

“We wanted to create a really accessible collection of NFTs that are truly unique to LFC, and simply give fans an opportunity to explore this new and trending topic, and most importantly, give fans the choice to buy one should they wish.

“We know that not all fans will be ready to explore the world of NFTs. However, we have conducted some in-depth fan research before entering into this market. We found that almost a quarter of 18 to 34-year-olds would be likely or very likely to participate in official NFT offerings from the club. This is a great chance to offer fans something truly special and at the same time give back to our LFC Foundation in the local community and beyond.”

Sebastian Fahey, Sotheby’s managing director for EMEA and executive lead for Sotheby’s Metaverse, said: “To collaborate with Liverpool Football Club, one of the most successful and storied football clubs in the world, for this first-of-its-kind NFT collection marks a turning point in how NFTs can be used to engage fan communities with tailored releases and unique concepts specially designed for their supporters.

“Together we have created a new digital art collection, which celebrates LFC heroes and leverages our web3 technology to enable the club’s passionate and global supporter group to be a part of this exciting initiative for the long term.”

For more information on LFC Heroes Club, please visit www.liverpoolfc.com/heroesclub.