Second FC Barcelona Masterpiece, ‘Empowerment’ inspired by Alexia Putellas sells for $300,231.36 at OpenSea auction
The club’s second NFT in its Masterpiece collection has sold for $300,231.36 at an online auction run by OpenSea. This digital work of art features Alexia Putellas and pays tribute to an unforgettable moment that has already gone down in club history, namely the UWCL semifinal against Wolfsburg on 22 April 2022, when a world record crowd of 91,648 spectators watched the Barça victory. As well as the 'Empowerment’ NFT, the buyer also gets a real seat taken from Spotify Camp Nou emblazoned with a portrait of Putellas by famous Catalan artist Òscar Tusquets and signed by the player herself. Payment was made by cryptocurrency (ETH on Polygon).
OpenSea, the market leader in digital collectibles, was able to offer its full experience to guarantee the utmost security in an online bidding process that began on June 26 at 4pm CEST and ended this Wednesday 28 June at the same time, when the artwork was finally declared sold. Users have expressed huge interest in the NFT, with major expectation in the build-up to the closure of bids for a piece produced in association with World of Women and the artist Rhi Madeline, and which symbolises transformation and is such a catalyst for progress.
100% Barça experience for the NFT owner
Along with being the sole owner of the digital artwork, the winning bidder will be able to access a range of premium benefits particularly focused on the world of women's football. These include a Meet & Greet with Alexia Putellas, named the best female footballer in the world, a pair of signed football boots, and the aforesaid portrait on a seat taken from the Barça stadium.
Second of ten NFTs
Empowerment is the second NFT in a collection of ten that will be unveiled gradually, and which all feature legendary players and moments that have been turning points in FC Barcelona history. The first piece, In A Way, Immortal, featured Johan Cruyff, and was presented in July 2022, It recreates the iconic image of the ‘Flying Dutchman’ scoring his incredible aerial goal past Atlético Madrid keeper Miguel Reina on 22 December 1973. The piece was sold on 29 July 2022 in a live auction at Sotheby’s, New York.
The collection clearly reflects the club’s strategy to embrace technology and innovation while also creating unforgettable moments that will not only educate but also inspire Millennial, Xenial, Gen Z and other younger fans. But it is also helping to redefine NFTs by creating premium experiential products. This project is the first since the recent launch of Barça Vision, a new platform for the Club to create Web3, NFT and Metaverse initiatives to revolutionize the experience of Barça fans with the most innovative emerging technologies.
