A limited edition of AO Art Ball NFTs containing live match data will be released in the metaverse, offering fans across the world the chance to own a piece of the Australian Open.
The AO will also be virtualized in Decentraland, a 3D virtual reality platform, allowing any tennis fan to explore the AO from anywhere in the world.
“We are happy that our expansion into the Metaverse and Decentraland will allow more fans to participate with our sport than ever before,” stated Chief Commercial Officer Cedric Cornelis.
To keep ahead of consumer trends and expand into new industries in ways never seen in tennis, we work together with some of the world’s greatest developers.
With NFTs, fans can own the moment in real-time.
The Metaverse initiative will manufacture 6,776 AO Art Ball NFTs for the almost one billion worldwide watchers, offering this a momentous opportunity to own a piece of the AO 2022.
It will be connected to a 19cm by 19cm area of the tennis court surface. A winning shot from any of the 400+ AO matches will be published in real-time on that plot, giving the owner with future perks like limited-edition wearables, AO products, and more.
The AO will be the first to combine real-time court data with NFTs, providing new options for worldwide tennis fans to connect as NFT holders. Once a plot has one of the 11 championship points, the NFT owner can claim the tennis ball in a handmade case.
Official AO match and ball monitoring data enabled this first-of-its-kind NFT.
As a result, buyers cannot select a precise position on-court when purchasing NFT balls. You want to be down the line shoots and ace down the T,” said Run It Wild director Adam De Cata.
The AO Art Ball collection is entirely generative.
These unique AO Art Balls are created using generative art, an algorithmic mix of multiple colour schemes, patterns, and textures.
The “Serving Man” motif, initially featured in the 1997 Australian Open, has been recreated and reinvented on an Art Ball canvas.
The AO Art Balls also comprise over 160 NFTs from the AO Artist Series, produced especially for AO 2022 by local and international artists.
Unprecedented access to AO Decentral
With Decentraland, a 3D virtual reality platform, any tennis fan can explore the AO from anywhere in the world.
During the event, fans may explore the AO precinct online in AO Decentraland. From their laptops, they may explore the precinct, perform tasks, examine AO archives, and engage with players and other tennis fans.
“We want the AO to be the world’s most accessible and inclusive sports and entertainment event,” said Tennis Australia NFT and Metaverse Project Manager Ridley Plummer.
“Bringing the AO into the Metaverse is a critical step for really global access.”
For media access to the Decentraland virtual AO experience this weekend, email sarah@runitwild.com.au.
This is simply the start of AO’s Web3 approach.
The AO collaborated with Run it Wild, a blockchain studio and metaverse experts, and Rarer Things, a Web3 adviser and strategy, to build AO Art Ball NFT and AO Decentraland.
As big events and codes sprint into the metaverse, the AO sets a high bar for its Web3 debut.
Virtualising the whole AO precinct and providing access to worldwide tennis fans through its world-first collaboration Decentraland are genuinely ambitious ideas matching the AO’s heritage of tech-firsts.
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