Will Bernard Hinault be as successful selling his NFTs as he is on a bicycle? The rider celebrates 5 Tour de France victories (1978, 79, 81, 82 and 85) with 216 victories. Five types of NFT related to each yellow jersey are offered for sale on OpenSea. “The idea was to create a coherent collection of Bernard’s greatest successes, including his victories on tour.says Greg Potevin, an illustrator and fellow cyclist who created these digital works. Prices vary from 500 to 5000 euros.We want everyone to have access to it, not just the big wallets or investors“. 1% of the winnings will be donated to the Souffles d’Espoir cancer association.
the illustrator”Greg:Known for his work on great sports champions, particularly the PSG murals, Roland Garros with Lacoste or the French team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. “Bernard Hino didn’t know the concept of NFT at all“,recalculate”Greg:“. “I spent a lot of time explaining it to him and he was hooked. This will allow him to expand his fan community digitally. It is also an opportunity to bequeath an artistic legacy that is part of time“.
According to the graphic designer, buying these NFTs is a way for fans to take ownership of the rider’s victories. “Bernard has too many victories to list them all. So we decided to create a small collection on one topic.They are rare digital objects with a financial value that may increase in the future.
Winning international fans
“Bernard Hinault often has the opportunity to meet those who support him, whether at signings when he competes or at the Tour de France.“, the illustrator explains. “This an opportunity to reach backers in a different way, but unfortunately the NFT market is still not very popular in France“. Greg Podevin therefore wants to reach an audience outside of France. “Bernard Hino has supporters everywhere, it’s amazing. Even in Japan or China, people want to meet him. The Anglo-Saxons are also big fans, but not necessarily able to see him. We want to offer them a way to reach out“.
Indeed, the purchase of some NFTs offers some additional rewards, such as autographs, lithographs, or the ability to trade remotely with the champion via Zoom. High point with a unique NFT to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1982 victory. This is being auctioned, with a starting price of 5,000 euros (about 3 Ethereum). It is animated and features an exclusive interview with the runner looking back on his arrival. The buyer will be able to dine with the athlete and spend the afternoon cycling in his company.
However, the difficulty remains the generation gap. “We know that there will be no immediate success with this proposal.“, concludes “Greg:“. “NFTs take time to catch on in France and for us the collection will sell out over time. In addition, my friend does not have social networks, which complicates communication for the popularization of the project, especially among his first-hour fans. But we’ll bide our time by keeping the offer available until it runs out“.
Source: Le Figaro
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.