New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Dream Sports, India’s leading sports technology company, have joined forces to build cricket’s first-ever comprehensive suite of digital fan engagement products in an exclusive five-year deal.
A significant move in the cricketing landscape, the partnership will create unique, fan-focused avenues across Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Gaming and Merchandising through Dream Sports’ portfolio.
Dream Sports’ flagship brand, Dream11, has been NZC’s Official Fantasy Sports Partner since 2019. The uptick witnessed in fan engagement over the years, including Dream11’s title sponsorship of the Dream11 Super Smash.
Rario will launch NZC’s cricket NFT program and enable cricket fans to engage as a community and own a piece of NZC cricket history through digital collectibles across player cards, video moments, and cricket artifacts, with FIAT-only products offered in India.
NZC chief executive David White said the new partnership with Dream Sports represented an exciting step into the metaverse for his organisation, opening up a new world of opportunities for New Zealand cricket fans.
“One of NZC’s key goals is to extend our teams’ global reach, to build closer relationships around the world, and to develop new ways for fans to engage with and connect with the deep history of our sport,” he said.
NZC GM Commercial, Chris Smith, said the agreement would be a game-changer for NZC’s fans, taking fan engagement to an unprecedented level.
“We would also like to acknowledge the players and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association for their support of the arrangements.”
Speaking on the partnership, Vikrant Mudaliar, Chief Marketing Officer, Dream Sports, said, “We are excited about the next big leap in our association with New Zealand Cricket, and look forward to exploring its full potential for fan engagement through the Dream Sports portfolio.”
Over the years, the company has exclusively partnered with multiple associations, leagues, and players across sports to bridge the gaps in fan engagement. Some of the current exclusive partners include the Tata IPL, ICC, BCCI, Cricket Australia, The Hundred, La Liga Santander, and the Vivo Pro Kabaddi League.