Crypto Craze, NFTs Hit Party Circuit With Sponsorships – The Hollywood Reporter

Want to have a party like a rock star in Los Angeles?

Prior to the Super Bowl LVI, there are more options than ever to live big in the red carpet events and concerts that surround big games. The days leading up to the Super Bowl on February 13 (a match between the home team Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium) are filled with enough party amenities to fill the high rollers with saliva.

Of course, there are typical accessories such as bottle service and behind-the-scenes passes, and A-list artists Drake, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus are on stage all over the city.But this year’s Super Bowl party schedule scan was edited by Hollywood Reporter Uncover new trends such as over-the-top helicopter packages, Metaverse gathering, NFT and Bitcoin giveaways. Further evidence that the crypto epidemic has officially crashed big games, this year cryptocurrency exchange platforms such as Crypto.com and FTX have sponsored numerous events, another with its own crypto acquisition concierge service. A MALÏBU is supporting it.

Lou Frangella, a vp partnership with FTX sponsoring the Shakir Fun House held at the Shrine Auditorium on Friday night, said his company’s decision to have such a big footprint this year is a user base. It states that it is a way to expand. “We are still in the early stages of cryptocurrency adoption and we want to continue to be a useful resource and sort leader for future finance. The Super Bowl is at the biggest stage to do that. So it’s not surprising to see how powerful the cryptocurrency display will be, “he explains. “From being able to buy VIP tables using cryptocurrencies through FTX Pay to NFTs bought by some of the legendary half-time performers, the awareness, education and experience of Super Bowl is about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Helps promote excitement and understanding. “.”

FTX shares the spotlight with acts such as Lil Wayne, Zedd and Diplo, offering free NFTs, cryptocurrency pricing and payment options, and a $ 10,000 Bitcoin sweepstakes to all participants. There are also gorgeous carnival prizes and other Bitcoins in the shape of the moon (the icon of the crypto set), confirmed by Joe Silberzweig and Adam Richman, who help run the event through the production company Medium Rare.

“It’s almost like a crypto war, and everyone felt the need to attend the Super Bowl, the world’s biggest sporting week,” Silverzweig said, noting that the trend extends to the NFL. (The league offers free NFTs on all Super Bowl tickets called Digital Memorial Tickets.) “We looked for FTX through innovative partnerships and how to work with celebrity ambassadors such as Steph Curry and Tom Brady. Working with them to improve the event and bring it into the 21st century, ”Richman added. “Since cryptocurrencies and NFTs haven’t been adopted in large numbers among consumers yet, this event offers a chance for many to get their first NFT. The great thing about FTX is that it’s an NFT. And the process of getting the encryption will be easier. By scanning the QR code on the door, you can download everything you need. “

The enthusiasm for blockchain-based assets is also featured during commercial breaks. Crypto.com and FTX have been identified in the coveted Super Bowl advertising slot, which sells for up to $ 7 million in 30 seconds. Last fall, FTX announced that it would partner with the NFL’s great Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen to launch a new advertising campaign and spotlight big games.

The Crypto.com spot follows a new commercial starring Matt Damon, who debuted last October, and a rights agreement to change the name of the beloved Staples Center in Los Angeles to Crypto.com Arena. LA’s downtown sports and entertainment hub is fascinating on Super Bowl weekends, with a series of Badlight Super Bowl Music Fest concerts featuring Miley Cyrus, Green Day, Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, Blake Shelton, and Gwen Stefani. It would be held. Crypto.com also participates in the event circuit as a premier sponsor of the Bloomberg Power Player Summit. An all-day conference hosted by Talent Resources Sports at Sheats-Goldstein Residence in Beverly Hills on Friday, hosts such as Power Brokers, executives, athletes, Erin Andrews, Baron Davis, Kevin Mayer, Rich Paul and Jeremy Zimmer will meet. ..

MALÏBU, a unique cryptocurrency acquisition concierge service, has made its Super Bowl Week debut by announcing a homecoming weekend from h.wood Group and REVOLVE. The two-night invitation-only event posted to the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood will be produced by Uncommon Entertainment and headed by Justin Bieber and Drake.

All of the above are in a difficult time for cryptocurrencies, as the major digital currencies Bitcoin and Ethereum have survived a sharp drop of more than 20% in recent weeks. The market recovered late last week, but uncertainty remains. So are the criticisms of actor Ben McKenzie, who writes books about cryptography and speaks regularly against its popularity. “Celebrity crypto shilling is a moral disaster,” he wrote in last year’s column. slate With writer Jacob Silverman.

About the life of the rock star.Online sports book MaximBet MaximTwo events featuring its global strategic partner, DirecTV (always the main host of the Super Saturday Night Festival), will be held in a 45,000-square-foot custom outdoor pavilion in downtown. Headliners for the two-night case include (especially) The Chainsmokers, Lil Baby, Gunna, 50 Cent, and Tiesto. Expected to be over 3,500 on both nights, most of them plunged tens of thousands due to VIP experiences including private tables, artist welcomes, VIP entrances and bathrooms, and complimentary food and drink. It will be a roller.

Shipping packages are where it really gets interesting. Deep-pocket parties can be stylishly arrived in luxury cars (Range Rover Vogue, Rolls-Royce Ghost, Cullinan) or helicopters with 15 friends. The service, called the “Blades of Glory,” includes three private helicopter transfers of up to five people, picking up from a designated departure point within 30 miles and landing on the rooftop of downtown near the venue. Ride quality may be short, but it should not be dry. Guests can drink top-notch champagne and tequila, such as Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia.

From there, guests will be shuttled to the event space in a sprinter van, giving 15 drinkers full VIP treatment and access. Tickets for the chopper package are $ 130,000 on Friday night and $ 145,000 on Saturday. If it’s more appealing to be on the ground, there’s also a package called “Party Like a Rock Star,” which costs $ 120,000 on Friday nights and $ 130,000 on Saturdays. It features an 8-hour private tour bus, an artist compound parking pass, a table on stage, an artist guest pass for 15 people, an artist welcome, and unlimited food and drink.

Doug Terfehr, vice president of brand marketing at Maxim Bet, who oversees events and parties, praised event partner unKommon Events for creating the “best and unforgettable experience”, where activation is gridiron football. He added that it was designed for. .. “Nothing is as big as the Super Bowl. Los Angeles is the entertainment center of the world, so we expect to have a unique experience,” he explains.

It is also the capital of traffic. Terfehr says that’s why helicopter packages are so attractive. Even those who are staying on land will leave with something. Terfehr is working with Fanaply to ensure that all guests have provided an interactive NFT experience that scans barcodes and receives limited edition NFT posters and ticket stubs associated with the event.

In addition, the five winners will receive a rare NFT that allows lifetime access to all Maxim / MaximBet parties or can be redeemed for commemorative apparel, free bets and other options. “It was natural to include NFT extensions in very popular events,” he says. “It doesn’t feel like a normal weekend. The city of Los Angeles has been waiting for this for 30 years.”

Other highlights include the FLUF House event at the Petersen Automotive Museum. According to the invitation, FLUF World, a unique collection of Metaverse-enabled 3D avatars on the Ethereum blockchain, will bring the community together for a one-night event that blends technology, music, art and culture. “. Snoop Dogg spends a big weekend as part of the Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show lineup and is a collaborator of the brand.

Saturday’s Big Games Big Give Event has always been a big attraction for philanthropic spectators, taking action on the Metaverse by drafting Rob Lowe (or at least his avatar) and hosting annual profits. For every $ 1,000 ticket sold, the organizer shipped a Meta Quest 2 VR headset to allow guests to attend the event, red carpet experience, avatar photo booth, and social impact theater. ..

The latter is described as a virtual space where special guests can talk to other participants and perform performances (such as spoken language). The centerpiece of the room is a virtual rose statue inspired by the sculptor Michael Kaylish. Rolling stoneE hosting a always hot Super Bowl weekend party, Rolling stone Covers hologram activation in an event held at the Academy LA in Hollywood.

Even the Foo Fighters are virtualizing. The iconic locker will be the headline for a virtual reality concert after the Super Bowl at Horizon Venues, a VR app available on MetaQuest headsets. In a 180-degree VR concert, the band will play songs that the band has never played live, as well as a set of tracks that are rarely played. The show is directed by filmmaker and music video director Mark Romanek.

Miller Lite, an advertiser for the Perennial Super Bowl, hosts its own virtual activations in the days leading up to the game. The venerable beer brand will open “Metaverse’s First Brand Bar” to coincide with the Metaverse-inspired Super Bowl spot. According to official Intel, patrons over the age of 21 are invited to participate in an “immersive collaborative experience with interactive features such as darts, billiards, photo booths, and jukeboxes.” It will open on February 7th and will be located on Decentraland, a 3D virtual world browser-based platform. To commemorate its debut, Meta Lite Bar will distribute a “limited quantity of wearable Miller Lite NFT swags” to registered Decentraland users from the day of the game using a cryptocurrency wallet.

Sofia Colucci, Global VP of the Miller Family of Brands, said: Like everyone else, that’s right.