SSC Napoli, a Serie A Italian football club, has made its debut in the metaverse, joining the growing number of sports teams exploring virtual spaces.
The club has launched pop-up virtual stores within The Sandbox metaverse, offering fans across the globe access to exclusive digital merchandise, virtual experiences, and interactive events.
These pop-up stores are part of four UGC experiences within The Sandbox: Sports Land, The Bank Job, Temple Escape, and The Legend of the Miners.
Fans who visit all of SSC Napoli’s virtual stores will have the chance to win physical rewards, including tickets to the club’s home games, signed merchandise, and more.
The SSC Napoli virtual experience is already live and will be available until September 4, 2024.
Tommaso Bianchini, SSC Napoli’s Chief Revenue Officer, emphasized the club’s goals, saying, “Our goal is to expand our global fan base more and more, and the partnership with The Sandbox seeks to use the tools of – and speak the same language as – the new generations of fans we want to engage through the virtual world, so as to create ever closer connections with supporters in every continent.”
This trend of football clubs entering the metaverse reflects a broader strategy to reach fans in new, innovative ways. For instance, last year, Manchester City partnered with OKX to create a metaverse football learning experience called “Make Your Play.” Additionally, FIFA collaborated with the Upland metaverse to bring the Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 into the virtual space.
