If you haven't previously heard of MatchWornShirt (MWS), allow me to give you a brief introduction.
MatchWornShirt has teamed up with the Chicago Bulls for a multi-year deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
If you haven't previously heard of MatchWornShirt (MWS), allow me to give you a brief introduction.
MWS is an innovative online, live auction platform that allows fans to bid for worn (and often times, signed) jerseys from their favorite teams/players, live from the start of the game. As the action unfolds on the field/court, they can bid in real-time. Within days of the final whistle, the package arrives at their home in special packaging. The company was founded in Amsterdam in 2017, originating in the soccer space, and has since worked with over 300 partners, representing some of the world’s biggest clubs (like Chelsea, Manchester United, PSG) and federations (like US Soccer, Germany, Netherlands).
And now, for the first time, they are entering the NBA space with the Chicago Bulls, in a multi-year deal as their “Official Digital Auction Partner." To kick off the launch, fans can start bidding on a few shirts from last season, but live auctions will begin this season during select games. All products come with a rigorous authentication process using Fabricks technology, making MWS a premium & trusted platform for fans wanting to buy and collect game-worn jerseys.
This partnership is part of MWS’s broader NBA strategy, with more teams set to be announced in the coming months. The deal also builds upon MWS’s recent expansion in the US market, having just announced deals with US Soccer and the NWSL. We checked in with co-founder Bob Zonderwijk to learn more about this exciting announcement.
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About expanding to the US market
The US is the most developed collector market in the world, the holy grail of collectibles – they do it like no one else in terms of the idolization of sporting heroes. And being a European company, we can definitely learn a lot from that.
About entering the NBA with the Chicago Bulls
The NBA is one of the biggest leagues in the world, and the Chicago Bulls an iconic brand. And our high rollers, who are already collecting soccer shirts, have been asking for NBA products. So we are honoring what our customers have been begging for. Whether you’re supporting the Bulls from China or Mexico, we are bringing you as close to the game as possible with game-worn jerseys.
About more NBA teams being signed
There will be at least four more NBA team deals announced this year.
About being able to bid for the jersey in real-time during the game
We are surprised, for a country like the US, that live auctions aren’t happening yet in terms of fan engagement during the game. We have seen that people are willing to pay 4x as much if you’re able to bid on a shirt in the heat of the moment, while you’re watching the game. It is an immersive experience, and real-time bidding relates directly to what is happening on the court. Currently, the norm is that you wait three to four months to get your hands on game-worn items, from individual fans or consumers, and it’s a second-hand item. Instead, we work directly with the teams and closely with the equipment manager, to obtain the jerseys.
About authenticity and the unboxing experience
When a fan wins a live auction, they will receive a message that they have placed the winning bid. They can choose to have the jersey framed or not. Some of the purists don’t want it framed because they want to hold it and smell it. The shirt will be sent to the winner within three working days and will be delivered in a premium box. And Fabricks (our proprietary technology) provides a digital certificate of authenticity, powered by an NFC chip. You can hold your phone to it, just like you do with a passport, making the item completely traceable – match data, player data, and everything that’s important about that specific jersey.
About being a global platform
We’ve come to this point that we’re now a global platform. During an auction, you see flags coming in from all over the world. We have shipped to over 140 countries.
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Category: General Sports
