Lionel Messi has committed himself to Socios for an amount of eighteen million euros, according to news agency Reuters public on Tuesday. The 34-year-old Paris Saint-Germain superstar will promote the crypto company, which issues digital fan tokens, as an ambassador ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
Even after the world championship, Messi will remain associated with the company, because the agreement that has been concluded is valid for three years. Fantokens are a type of cryptocurrency that gives owners the right to participate in smaller decisions at a football club. This concerns, for example, having a chance to win a match ticket, voting for your favorite team bus design or choosing which song will be played during the warm-up.
“Fans deserve recognition for their support,” Messi said in a statement. “They deserve opportunities to influence the teams they love. Socios exists to improve the fan experience, to empower fans to be ‘more’. I’m proud to participate in Socios’ mission to be a more connected and rewarding future for fans around the world.” Messi will now receive the full amount in dollars. Last summer, the Argentinian agreed with PSG to receive his salary partly in fantokens.
‘Fantokens’ have recently become a new source of income for football clubs. Paris Saint-Germain has already earned millions from the collaboration with Socios, while Fortuna Sittard also issues fantokens in the Netherlands. This is not without controversy, however, as opponents say it is a superficial source of income for clubs, making it even more expensive for supporters to follow their favorite team. When you use a token to vote for your favorite design or chance to win a ticket, the owner loses his token (and therefore also his money). Importantly, there is absolutely no certainty that a token holder will win a ticket to a competition or that his favorite design will be chosen.
Related
More sports news