- Leading US-based sports publication Sports Illustrated has announced a Polygon-powered NFT ticketing platform
- Dubbed Box Office, the platform was built in partnership with ConsenSys to facilitate ticketing of live sporting events
- The platform is the sports publication’s SI Tickets subsidiary
Leading US-based sports publication Sports Illustrated has partnered with Web 3.0 company ConsenSys to develop an NFT ticketing platform powered by Ethereum scaling layer Polygon. Dubbed Box Office, the platform is part of the sports publication’s SI Tickets subsidiary and aims to facilitate ticketing of free or paid live sporting events. The platform’s choice of Polygon coincides with recent statistics showing that the Ethereum sidechain is the second most popular gaming blockchain.
Access Event Highlights Through a Super Ticket
In an announcement, SI Tickets revealed that Box Office allows event managers, promoters and other entities to have full control of live sports events without worrying about their size. SI Tickets added that their partnership with ConsenSys also birthed Super Ticket, a collectible ticket that enables “event hosts” to engage with attendees even after the events.
Introducing Box Office, the all-new event management platform from Sports Illustrated Tickets 🎟️
Create and sell tickets for your own free or paid event on our site. Partner with us for an easy event set-up and lower fees than our competitors. #sitickets #sportsillustrated pic.twitter.com/84ASQkZUYg
— SI Tickets (@si_tickets_) May 2, 2023
The ticket gives its holders the privilege of being among the first people to access an event venue, receive a discount on drinks and also access video highlights after an event, among other benefits. According to SI Tickets CEO David Lane, Box Office is part of the sports publication’s mission to disrupt the ticketing industry.
However, although SI Tickets charges no transaction fees, Box Office users will incur a 3% fee on every ticket while event organizers part with an additional 3% for what the platform calls merchant pass-through fees.
From Youth Football to Fashion Shows
According to Polygon’s head of business development in North America Brian Trunzo, having the NFT ticketing platform on Polygon opens the Ethereum sidechain up for “further consumer adoption,” which has seen some NFT projects abandon Solana for Polygon.
With Box Office handling everything from youth football to fashion shows, the platform is likely to gain adoption among the younger generation who are interested in blockchain and NFT technology.
