Most Valuable Crypto-Backed Sports Teams in the World in 2024

The world has seen an increasing number of crypto sponsorships of sports teams since the crypto bull run of 2021. Companies like Crypto.com and now-defunct FTX spent millions of dollars to rename sports arenas and sponsor NBA teams.

The rationale is straightforward for crypto companies with big marketing war chest – reach out to as many people as possible to increase brand awareness.

Luckily for them, there are very few things in this world that bring more people together like sports.

In this article, we list the most valuable sports teams with crypto sponsorships.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Which Sports Are Attracting Most Crypto Partnerships and Sponsors?
3. The Most Expensive Crypto-Backed Sports Teams
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Which Sports Are Attracting Most Crypto Partnerships and Sponsors?
3. The Most Expensive Crypto-Backed Sports Teams
Show Full Guide
4. The Bottom Line
5. FAQs
6. References

Which Sports Are Attracting Most Crypto Partnerships and Sponsors?

When it comes to crypto sports sponsorship, companies are looking for the most efficient places to spend their marketing budgets. Therefore, crypto companies have shown a preference for partnering with the biggest sports brands that can maximize brand awareness, attract young audiences, and establish brand credibility.

Football is arguably the most popular sport in the world. Crypto companies recognize this.

In 2022, crypto exchange Crypto.com paid an undisclosed amount to become an official sponsor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, rival Binance tapped superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to launch an NFT collection.

I’m happy to launch “Forever CR7: The GOAT”, my new NFT collection, on #Binance!

To celebrate we’re giving away some ForeverCR7 NFTs.

How to win:
⚽Retweet
⚽Follow @binance
⚽Tell me your favourite CR7 goal using #ForeverCR7

Good luck! pic.twitter.com/9YxKa0guXr

— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 5, 2023

Crypto.com’s CMO Steven Kalifowitz said:

“No sport brings the world together like football, and no sporting event brings the world together the way FIFA World Cup does.” 

In the US, basketball trumps soccer. Crypto companies made headlines in the 2021 bull run by spending hundreds of millions to rename sporting stadiums.

The biggest deal of the lot was a 20-year, $700 million deal signed by Crypto.com to rename the iconic Staples Center – home of NBA teams LA Lakers and LA Clippers, as well as ice hockey team LA Kings – to Crypto.com Arena.

We’re extremely proud to announce that Staples Center, Los Angeles’ most iconic arena is getting a new name:

https://t.co/vCNztATkNg Arena

As part of this 20 year partnership, we’re also excited to welcome the @Lakers & @LAKings as our newest partners! pic.twitter.com/KCfYKySDRt

— Crypto.com (@cryptocom) November 17, 2021

The now-defunct FTX Exchange penned a similar naming-rights deal with NBA’s Miami Heat to rename their stadium Kaseya Center to FTX Arena in a $135 million deal. However, the deal fell through after FTX filed for bankruptcy in 2022.

Another sport that has seen plenty of crypto sponsorships is racing, more specifically, Formula One (F1). Numerous F1 teams have crypto sponsors. The BWT Alpine F1 team took it a step further by launching its own crypto fan token called $ALPINE in collaboration with Binance.

BWT Alpine F1 Team is not one to shy away from challenges, nor are we afraid to continually push the limit both on and off the track.

Today, BWT Alpine F1 Team and @Binance reveal a new partnership launching the first Binance Fan Token with an F1 team.

Read below ⤵️

— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) February 15, 2022

The Most Expensive Crypto-Backed Sports Teams

In this section, we list the most valuable sports teams in the world that are backed by crypto companies and crypto sponsorships.

10. Paris Saint-Germain and Crypto.com

French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) signed a deal with Crypto.com in September 2021 to make the crypto exchange the club’s official cryptocurrency platform partner.

According to PSG, a significant portion of the undisclosed sponsorship fees was paid using Crypto.com’s platform crypto token called CRO. The deal also included agreements to release exclusive club NFTs on Crypto.com’s NFT platform.

9. Baltimore Ravens and Socios.com

NFL team Baltimore Ravens signed a marketing deal with fan token platform Socios.com in April 2022.

The deal allowed Socios to reward fans with training camp and game day hospitality passes. Socios also gained in-stadium signage, title sponsorship of fan polls and the right to conduct fan giveaways for game tickets.

8. Atlanta Falcons and Socios.com

NFL team Atlanta Falcons signed a marketing deal with fan token platform Socios.com in April 2022.

The deal allowed Socios to reward Falcon fans with game tickets and autographed team merchandise via social media giveaways. Socios also received branding on the official team mobile app.

7. FC Bayern Munich and BitPanda

In January 2024, defending Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich signed a multi-year deal with Austrian crypto exchange Bitpanda.

According to Bitpanda, the deal will make Bitpanda the official crypto partner of the German club. The deal also includes TV exposure, player activation, and stadium visibility.

6. Manchester City FC and OKX

On June 30, 2023, cryptocurrency exchange OKX signed a three-year deal to become the official sleeve sponsor of the defending English Premier League (EPL) champions Manchester City FC.

The deal, reported worth £55 million, saw the OKX brand featured on both the men’s and women’s first team playing kits. Prior to the sleeve sponsorship deal, Manchester City FC had signed OKX to be its official training kit partner in July 2022.

5. Liverpool FC and Sorare

In September 2022, the EPL team Liverpool FC expanded its partnership with NFT-based fantasy sports platform Sorare for an undisclosed fee.

The deal allowed Sorare to continue to make digital card collectibles of Liverpool players available to fans, collectors and gamers to collect, trade, and compete in the Sorare fantasy game.

4. FC Barcelona and Chiliz

On August 2, 2022, sports-focused blockchain provider Chiliz announced that it paid $100 million to acquire a 24.5% stake in FC Barcelona’s digital content creation and distribution unit called Barca Studios.

The deal came at a time when FC Barcelona was looking to raise capital to register new players. For Chiliz, the deal allowed them to reach the club’s global fan base through NFTs, metaverse projects, and merchandising.

3. Manchester United FC and Tezos

In February 2022, the British football club Manchester United signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the blockchain platform Tezos, reportedly worth over £20 million per year.

The deal saw the Tezos brand appear on the team’s training kits. According to the club, the partnership will create new blockchain-based fan experiences and include a pledge to support the Manchester United Foundation with donations in the native crypto of the Tezos blockchain called TEZ.

2. New England Patriots and Chain

In September 2022, web3 software company Chain, in collaboration with Kraft Sports + Entertainment, announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement with NFL team New England Patriots to become their official blockchain and web3 sponsor.

The deal was signed by the soccer team New England Revolution as well, who share the Gillette Stadium with New England Patriots.

1. Dallas Cowboys and Blockchain.com

In April 2022, American football team Dallas Cowboys became the first National Football League (NFL) team to pen a sponsorship deal with a crypto company.

Crypto exchange Blockchain.com signed a deal for an undisclosed amount with the Dallas Cowboys for branding, advertising, content and event opportunities and stadium signage. The deal also allowed fans to get access to Dallas Cowboys content on their Blockchain.com crypto wallets.

The Bottom Line

The crypto winter of 2022 was a difficult time for crypto sponsorships. Many sports teams saw the loss of sponsorship revenue due to the bankruptcy of the FTX exchange. FTX, which was one of the biggest crypto companies in the world before its collapse, spent big to sign deals with the likes of Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 and Golden State Warriors.

The industry has recovered, and crypto companies that sponsor sports teams are growing again. Within the first two months of 2024, we have already seen FC Bayern sign a deal with Bitpanda and London-based football club Chelsea FC sign with crypto exchange BingX.

FAQs