Football club Paris Saint Germain’s contract with Messi, one of the best ever to play the game, includes Socios fan tokens.
The number of PSG tokens Messi received was not revealed. He has signed a two-year deal with PSG, with the option of a third year.
The six-time winner of the Ballon d’Or for best player and European Golden Shoe for top scorer, was transferred by his longtime team, Barcelona, after Spanish soccer league La Liga’s fairness rules made his contract unaffordable under the team salary cap.
PSG Leading The Way
Paris Saint Germain was an early adopter of fan tokens in 2018, which give owners the right to vote on minor matters — choosing a message for the wall of PSG’s locker room, for example, or selecting the Goal of the Season. They also offer a way for teams to connect with fans and offer special rewards — like the possibility of a personal video call from top players. Lionel’s Barca was another team that adopted the Socios token.
Of course, it’s also a good way for teams to make money. Barca’s June 2020 initial sale of $BAR netted Messi’s then-club $1.3 million in just two hours.
“Fully embracing Socios.com and $PSG Fan Tokens has proved a massive success for the Club,” said Marc Armstrong, chief partnerships officer of Paris Saint-Germain. “We have been able to engage with a new global audience, creating a significant digital revenue stream.”
Alexandre Dreyfus, CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, added: “Paris Saint-Germain are reaping the rewards of their bold approach and I believe this could be the start of a new trend as Fan Tokens and Socios.com play an increasingly prominent role across sport at the very highest level.”