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The defender Gerard Piqué and Emmanuel Seugé (former vice-president of Coca-Cola), through his fund Cassius Family, invest 3 million euros in Sorare in an extension of the Seed. Sorare has experienced a growth of more than 1000% of its card sales volume in 2020, with the arrival of 80 clubs during the year, including five European champions: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto, Zenit with other big names to come before the end of the year.
Fans no longer want to consume soccer passively, they want to participate and be invited to engage in their soccer passions. Gérard Piqué was among the pioneers in re-imagining the future of sports entertainment, notably with his Kosmos fund and the new Davis Cup. After discovering Sorare, Gérard Piqué decided to invest in the company and join it as strategic advisor to the board, alongside e.ventures partner Christian Miele and co-founders Nicolas Julia and Adrien Montfort.
Gérard Piqué, President of Kosmos, comments:
“I see huge potential in the development of online soccer games in a digital economy where audience attention is the most significant monetary unit. I look forward to helping Sorare develop its partnerships with soccer leagues, clubs and players around the world to create the best fantasy soccer experience possible.
Nicolas Julia, Sorare’s CEO, added :
“Gerard is not only one of the world’s best advocates, he is also an active entrepreneur who is redefining the sports and entertainment industry. The strategic advice and business acumen that Gérard brings to our Board of Directors is invaluable. I’m pleased that he is joining our team to unlock the passions that online fantasy soccer can generate with Sorare”.
The 5 European champions have all launched their digital cards of their players on Sorare this year: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto, Zenit and other great champions are coming before the end of the year… Since the launch of the Sorare beta in December 2019, 80 soccer clubs from 11 countries have joined Sorare to help create a unique, global fantasy soccer experience.
Sorare is an opportunity for clubs and leagues to allow their fans to express their passions with digital maps in a context where stadiums are empty. It’s an opportunity for clubs to offer better coverage to their brands by reaching a global audience of gamers. It’s also a new source of revenue for them through a licensing category that didn’t exist before: fantasy soccer licensing.
While sports enthusiasts have been able to collect and exchange player cards for decades, this was limited to the physical world. Sorare’s mission is to unlock the passion of soccer fans in the digital space. The company is creating an open gaming world with digital cards, where people can express their affiliation to a club or player, build identities and relationships online, and seize new economic opportunities around their passions. Sorare cards are fully licensed and, thanks to blockchain technology, are proven to be rare, creating more confidence for players and clubs.
Soccer fans collect players’ digital cards for the same reasons they collect cards in the physical world: to develop an identity, to differentiate themselves, and to join a community. Sorare’s current total market lies at the intersection of fantasy soccer and sports cards and memorabilia, which are estimated to be worth $5.4 billion and $18.6 billion worldwide, respectively. After acquiring more than 50,000 users in 2020, Sorare expects to more than triple its numbers next year.