Cypriot First Division soccer club Apollon FC is taking fan engagement to a whole new level using the blockchain and a cryptocurrency called Socios. Socios.com CEO Alexandre Dreyfus says it’s a historic achievement for the game and for blockchain technology.
Both hard-core supporters and outsiders who know nothing about the game of football were able to use the blockchain to vote on which players should be in the starting lineup in a game against Aris Limassol. They were also allowed to vote on which strategies the coaches should use during the game. The team went with a 4-2-3-1 format because the fans said they should. The best part is, Apollon FC went on to win the game.
How Apollon FC Fans Used Blockchain Technology to Win the Game
In order to participate in the first-ever blockchain-powered soccer match, fans were required to use the team’s own APL token. Due to the promotion, trading volume for the token went up 13 percent before the game.
The team’s hope is that as its own initiatives surrounding fan engagement continue to grow, more and more fans will begin to use the token. The initiative is by far one of the most innovative ideas to ever hit sports as far as blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are concerned.
What’s fun about the whole idea is not only did Apollon FC win the game, they won in a landslide. The team and its fans have to be happy with that as the 6-0 score proves that maybe using the wisdom of the crowd can be a powerful force that yields actual results on the field.
What This Means for the Future of Blockchain and Sports
It’s no secret that more and more teams and athletes are becoming interested in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency. Considering how global both cryptocurrency and soccer happen to be, it makes sense that the beautiful game continues to make a bigger imprint – as far as the relationship between blockchain and sports is concerned – than any other sport across the globe.
Athletes like Colombian striker James Rodriguez have their own digital currencies. Lionel Messi has been promoting cryptocurrency projects for a while now. Soccer clubs in Korea are also using the blockchain to engage fans.
Add to that the fact that NBA basketball teams are also involved. We’ve talked about the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings being at the forefront of blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption many different times now. It certainly seems as if the most global sports in the world are the most capable of showing off the benefits of blockchain technology. The teams get it, the fans are embracing it, and both of those things make cryptocurrencies a good gamble going forward.
How the Blockchain Might Affect the Future of Gambling
Increasing fan engagement and loyalty is clearly proving to be a solid use case for blockchain technology in sports. So is the idea of allowing casino operators and sportsbooks to operate more efficiently using the same technology. What will be interesting to see in the coming months and years is how cryptocurrencies and blockchains might be able to crowd-source information from gamblers and professional handicappers and create a more efficient way of setting odds for events.
If the wisdom of the crowd can help a professional soccer team win games on the field, why can’t it help sportsbooks set better odds? Why can’t it help gamblers win more bets by crowd-sourcing information relevant to a specific game?
The reality is the impact that blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies can make on the sports gambling world is almost endless. As the prices of cryptocurrencies rise, the number of casino operators and sportsbooks accepting cryptocurrencies rises and the fans’ and gamblers’ interest in using the blockchain increases, innovation will grow exponentially.
That’s why now is as good a time as any to bet on the blockchain, whether that means placing a wager or telling your favorite teams who should be in the starting lineup.
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