European Soccer Club AZ Alkmaar to Get Paid in Bitcoin
The Dutch crypto provider Bitcoin Meester has become the exclusive partner of the top soccer team AZ Alkmaar. As part of the deal, the team will receive some of the funds in bitcoin, which it pledged to hold.
AZ Alkmaar – The First Soccer Club to Operate with BTC
One of the most successful soccer teams in the Netherlands – AZ Alkmaar – announced its collaboration with Bitcoin Meester on its official website. The local crypto provider will become the club’s promoter, and part of the sponsorship amount will be paid in Bitcoin. Additionally, the team said it will hold the received BTC on its balance sheet.
Thus, AZ Alkmaar will become the first Dutch club to make such a move. The Commercial Director of the team – Michael Koster – explained the reasons behind the deal:
“The cryptocurrency market is booming, with the exponential growth of users in recent years. That is appealing, but it is precisely in a new market that some direction is important. Not everyone is already familiar with cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin Meester is able to responsibly guide new users in this world.”
Bitcoin Meester’s CEO – Mitchell Zandwijken – noted that sports, and soccer, in particular, are one of the most important markets because of the huge fan base there. He described the collaboration with the Dutch club as “strategic” as the crypto provider will have the opportunity to introduce AZ supporters and the rest of the country to virtual currencies.
Known as the Kaaskoppen (Cheesheads), the team ranked 3rd last year in the local league, just a few points behind the giants Ajax and PSV Eindhoven. The home of AZ Alkmaar is the AFAS Stadium, where they signed the contract with Bitcoin Meester.
Soccer Kicks In Crypto
The crypto industry seems appealing for the sports world, and soccer teams do not fall behind. One such major collaboration was between the Italian club Rimini FC 1912 and the blockchain venture Quantocoin.
The technology project bought 25% of Rimini entirely with digital assets, precisely – with its native token, the Quantocoin (QTCT). This counted as a significant milestone as it was the first time that a soccer team has been purchased using a cryptocurrency.
In its turn, the English Premier League Club – Newcastle United – partnered with the blockchain project StormGain. The CEO of the platform asserted:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with an exciting and a leading soccer club such as Newcastle United. We believe the collaboration of cryptocurrencies and mainstream sports is inevitable.”
In addition, the most successful soccer club in Portugal – S.L. Benfica – announced that its merchandise would be available for purchase with cryptocurrency. The team, known to be supported by around 50% of the Portuguese population, will accept Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and UTRUST token (UTK).
