Lega Serie A and Socios.com have expanded their partnership to offer fans enhanced engagement through blockchain technology. This season, fans can access Game-Scored Balls from 100 matches and utilise new QR and NFC features for an interactive experience. The collaboration leverages Chiliz’s blockchain ecosystem to connect fans with Serie A’s most memorable moments.

Lega Serie A, Italy’s premier football league, has announced an extended partnership with Socios.com, the renowned fan engagement and rewards platform powered by the Chiliz Group. Since forming their alliance in 2021, Lega Serie A and Socios.com have revolutionised the fan experience, providing supporters across the globe with direct and exclusive connections to their favourite teams through the use of blockchain technology.

Under this renewed and expanded partnership, Lega Serie A and Socios.com will continue their commitment to innovative fan experiences with a host of new features. Central to this season’s offering, fans will have unprecedented access to Game-Scored Balls from 100 key matches across Serie A, Coppa Italia Frecciarossa, and the EA SPORTS FC Supercup. This marks a substantial increase from the previous season, more than doubling the number of collectible match balls made available to fans.

Interactive features enhance the fan experience with QR and NFC technology

This season introduces a significant technological advancement: a real-time QR code display following each goal scored, which will be broadcast in regions showing Lega Serie A matches. This feature enables fans to participate in auctions to obtain Game-Scored Balls in real time, adding an interactive dimension to matchday experiences.

Each Game-Scored Ball will be authenticated using Chiliz’s blockchain infrastructure, featuring an NFC chip that offers owners a Certificate of Authenticity and access to goal footage. This addition provides fans with both a tangible and digital link to memorable league moments, underscoring Lega Serie A and Socios.com’s commitment to enhancing fan engagement through cutting-edge technology.

According to Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Lega Serie A, “We are very pleased that the relationship with Socios.com can continue for another three years. A league as important as Serie A must continue to feed the passion that unites our fans with the protagonists of the Championship. Given the great success of past seasons, starting this year we will give more and more fans the chance to win goal balls, unique and original items that represent an extraordinary collector's opportunity. Owning memorabilia of one's favourite team's memorable moments represents the ultimate achievement for a fan. From this year, moreover, by simply scanning a QR code during the match, it will be possible to receive all the information to participate in the auction to obtain the balls.”

Continued blockchain innovation for fan engagement and future growth

Since its inception, the partnership has redefined the sports industry’s use of blockchain in fan engagement. To date, 188 Game-Scored Balls have been redeemed by Socios.com Fan Token holders representing Lega Serie A partner clubs across 16 countries. As a continuation of this trajectory, the newly expanded offerings promise to increase fan engagement globally and leverage Chiliz’s unique blockchain ecosystem.

Alexandre Dreyfus, Founder and CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, highlighted the significance of the partnership: “This partnership has played a strategic role in the journey of the Chiliz project and its vision for the future of fan engagement. Lega Serie A and Socios.com have shown the sports industry some of the multiple ways in which blockchain can bring value to brands and fans. The successful Game-Scored Balls activation is just a sample of how innovation and technology can make a difference. In this new stage, we’re aiming to deliver more and even better opportunities.”

Through its Socios.com platform, the Chiliz Group leads the blockchain-based fan engagement space, hosting partnerships with over 70 sports organisations globally and a user base of 2.2 million spanning more than 160 countries. The partnership with Lega Serie A builds on Chiliz’s commitment to providing a dynamic SportFi ecosystem that continues to shape the future of sports and fan engagement.

About Chiliz Group

Chiliz Group is a top blockchain company for sports and entertainment. They created Fan Tokens and the Socios.com platform, a fan engagement and rewards app used by over 2.3 million fans globally. Chiliz also launched the Chiliz Chain, a first-of-its-kind blockchain system designed for the sports world. 

Powered by their $CHZ token, this sports blockchain supports a fast-growing network of 150+ sports, crypto, and other brands, all building products and services to shape the future of sports.