KC Star drops first NFT, commemorating Kansas Jayhawks’ NCAA basketball championship
The Kansas City Star is recognizing the Kansas Jayhawks’ latest national championship in men’s college basketball with its first NFT offering, a one-of-a-kind collectible designed by Kansas City artist Neil Nakahodo.
The Star’s first NFT, which dropped on Friday, captures the excitement of KU’s fourth NCAA title, the second in Lawrence for Jayhawks coach Bill Self and first since 2008 for the blueblood program. An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a unique identifier used to represent ownership of a digital asset or image, with blockchain technology providing a digital receipt of ownership.
While the ‘08 title-winning KU team is remembered for “The Shot,” this particular Kansas squad will be long remembered for big-time rallies — in the Elite Eight, for instance, against the Miami Hurricanes to reach the Final Four, and in the championship game against the North Carolina Tar Heels: KU beat UNC 72-69 at the Caesars Superdome to hoist the trophy on Monday, April 4, 2022.
Proceeds from The Kansas City Star’s new NFT collection, at nft.kansascity.com, will support The Star’s Local Impact Journalism Fund, expanding philanthropic-funded, high-impact journalism in the Kansas City region. To learn more about The Star’s philanthropic-funded initiatives, go to givebutter.com/NOZ8NT.
The Star joins a growing number of brands and media outlets that have begun selling NFTs. As noted in a recent Miami Herald story announcing their launch of an NFT collection highlighting South Florida artists, “Last year, the NFL and NFL Players Association announced that they would sell video NFTs of top plays. An NBA clip of Lebron James dunking sold for $387,600. When a New York Times journalist minted a column as an NFT, he thought he’d be lucky to collect $800 to donate to charity. It sold for over $500,000.”
For fans of KU hoops, The Star’s initial offering is much more affordable — and no less special — as a memento.
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 3:04 PM.
