The Houston Texans have joined a growing list of NFL teams with cryptocurrency partnerships and payment agreements after signing a contract with Texas-based BitWallet, a provider of crypto wallets.
The Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) are the first team in the league to offer single-game suites for purchase with cryptocurrency.
The action is a result of an agreement with the Texas-based cryptocurrency company BitWallet, which as of August 16 became the team’s official crypto wallet provider. The Houston Texans will use BitWallet’s middleman services to exchange cryptocurrency for cash.
The Houston Texans made the first single-game suite purchase using cryptocurrency immediately after the offer debuted, making it the first time a game suite has been sold in return for digital assets in the history of the sport, according to a release from the team.
There has been no mention of being able to buy regular game day tickets with digital assets at this time, so it appears that the cryptocurrency deal is exclusive for suites.
A game suite is a posh, private viewing area in a stadium that frequently includes banquets, pricey alcohol, restrooms, TVs, attendants, and a great vantage point to watch the game.
On its website, the Houston Texans require fans to make an inquiry first in order to reserve a suite rather than listing a price for single-game or full-season tickets. A spokesperson of BitWallet said that the price might rise to $40,000. From the Seat estimates that a single game suite for the squad will cost between $14,000 and $25,000.
In addition to allowing users to trade or hold Bitcoin (BTC), BitWallet claims to be supported in more than 160 countries. Over the following several months, support will be added for Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Tether (USDT), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
NFL, cryptocurrency, and blockchain
In April, the Dallas Cowboys struck a multi-year agreement with Blockchain.com to serve as its official digital asset partner, making them the first NFL team to do so.
In late 2021, the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) also collaborated with Dapper Labs, the company of the Flow blockchain, to introduce the NFL All Day NFT collectible initiative. The NFL and NFLPA also acquired shares in Dapper as part of the agreement, and the two likely received a just share of the $36.8 million in sales that NFL All Day has produced since February.
Many of the league’s crypto-friendly players, including well-known figures like Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, former LA Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and Carolina Panthers quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was selected first overall in 2021, have chosen to accept a portion of their salaries or contract bonuses in digital assets.
Known for giving a fan 1 BTC (equal to $62,000 at the time) in exchange for his record 600th touchdown throw ball back in October, legendary quarterback Tom Brady has also experimented in the industry by starting his own NFT marketplace Autograph in April 2021.
