Sports Illustrated (SI) and OneOf – the Web3 company building next-generation commerce solutions for creators in music, sports, and lifestyle – today announced the next iteration of their ongoing SI Covers NFT program which honors the G.O.A.T. and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali. The new Sports Illustrated x Muhammad Ali NFT collection is slated to launch on June 27, 2022, and will be available for a limited time, exclusively on eBay.
The NFTs will pay homage to Ali’s 40th and final Sports Illustrated cover through a series of designs featuring 3D-animated versions of Muhammad Ali action figures performing his signature moves in the ring. The collection will feature green, gold, platinum, and diamond-tier NFTs at varying price points and rarities.
“There is perhaps no other athlete in history whose legacy is more intertwined with Sports Illustrated than Muhammad Ali,” said Michael Sherman, VP, Media at Authentic Brands Group (ABG), owner of the Sports Illustrated brand. ABG also owns Muhammad Ali Enterprises, in partnership with Lonnie Ali as trustee of the Muhammad Ali Family Trust (MAFT). “Sports Illustrated has told Ali’s story countless times, and we are proud to honor his legacy through this NFT collection.”
“Muhammad Ali is one of the most important cultural figures in both American and world history,” said Joshua James, OneOf’s Co-Founder & COO. “We could not be more honored to honor his legacy with this digital collection through our partnership with Sports Illustrated and in collaboration with eBay.”
Through OneOf's ongoing partnership with eBay, the Sports Illustrated x Muhammad Ali NFT collection will be offered for a limited time to eBay’s community of 142+ million active buyers.
“eBay’s collectibles offering has been unmatched for more than two decades,” said Dawn Block, VP Collectibles, Electronics and Home at eBay. “The first NFT collection from our partnership with OneOf sold out within a few hours, and we know enthusiasm for the Sports Illustrated x Muhammad Ali NFT collection will be equally as impressive, as a new generation of collectors continue to merge their passions with investments.”
From music to sports to lifestyle, OneOf was built to facilitate deep and authentic connections between fans and their favorite artists, athletes, and brands. OneOf’s partnership with Sports Illustrated is taking these connections — and the traditional “buyer-seller” relationship on both platforms — to the next level.
To shop the collection, visit ebay.com/e/artscollectibles/muhammad-ali-oneof-nft and oneof.com/ali.
About OneOf
Deeply committed to a sustainable blockchain future, OneOf is an NFT platform that supports NFTs on multiple energy-efficient blockchains, to create sustainable, creator-and-fan-friendly experiences. Minting an NFT on OneOf's platform uses up to over 2 million times less energy than proof-of-work networks, and for its artist and brand partners, minting NFTs costs $0 in blockchain transaction fees. OneOf aims to bring the next 100 million non-crypto-native fans into Web3 by removing the technical frictions and allowing fans to pay for their NFTs with credit/debit cards as well as major cryptocurrencies. Committed to diversity, over 80% of the collections featured on OneOf come from minority or female creators. In addition, OneOf donates portions of proceeds from every NFT collection to its artist or athlete partner’s preferred charity.
About Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated (SI) is an unparalleled and influential leader recognized for shaping modern culture and uniting athletes, teams and fans worldwide. At the intersection of sports, lifestyle and entertainment, Sports Illustrated is a 360-degree enterprise that delivers immersive content, innovative digital experiences, unforgettable events, and original products. Its award-winning media outlet brings powerful storytelling to life through probing profiles, up-to-date news and game-day stats on SI.com, social media and the monthly print magazine. The most trusted name in sports transcends media through SI Tix, a fan ticketing platform for sports and entertainment events and SI Sportsbook, the most trusted platform in sports betting, which recently launched in Colorado with more states to follow. Sports Illustrated Studios translates the biggest and most compelling stories, characters and moments in sports into long-form film, television and audio content. The franchise brings its unique and authentic perspective to marquee events and captivating brand activations including The Sports Illustrated Awards, The Party, and Club SI.
For more information, visit SI.com.
Follow Sports Illustrated on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Muhammad Ali:
Muhammad Ali is one of the most influential athletes and humanitarians of the 20th century and has created some of the most legendary moments in sports and civil rights history. More than 50 years after he emerged as a Gold Medalist in Boxing at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Ali’s legacy extends beyond the ring and he continues to be widely recognized as one of the most celebrated and beloved icons of all time.
His incomparable work ethic, signature boxing techniques, and fearlessness towards standing up for his beliefs, all contribute to the legend that is Muhammad Ali. Among his countless awards and accolades, he was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Century,” GQ’s “Athlete of the Century,” a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Amnesty International Lifetime Achievement Award. Muhammad Ali’s legacy is celebrated across cultures and continues to inspire today’s most influential athletes, artists, musicians and humanitarians around the world.
Follow Muhammad Ali on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more than 50 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass and e-commerce channels and in more than 6,100 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world.
ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media.
ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands generates more than $21 billion in global annual retail sales, and includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O'Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Eddie Bauer®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Nautica®, Izod®, Forever 21®, Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Frederick's of Hollywood®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Van Heusen®, Arrow®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Vision Street Wear®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Herve Leger®, Frye®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Thomasville®, Drexel® and Henredon®.
For more information, visit authenticbrands.com.
Follow ABG on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
About eBay
eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) is a global commerce leader that connects people and builds communities to create economic opportunity for all. Our technology empowers millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world, providing everyone the opportunity to grow and thrive. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, California, eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2021, eBay enabled over $87 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.