Argentine star football player Lionel Messi signed a $20 million deal with Socios to become the global brand ambassador of the fan token site, according to a report by Reuters. Messi, who plays for Paris-Saint Germain football club and captains the Argentina national team, will support the site for the next three years.
This deal does not include cryptocurrencies, a source close to the matter told Reuters. When Messi transferred from Barcelona to Paris-Saint Germain last August, ESPN said it received a large number of fan tokens from Socios as part of its signing fee.
Fan tokens are a type of crypto asset that mostly represents different sports teams and allows fans to influence small decisions like squad numbers and celebratory songs within their team’s community. Socios hosts fan tokens for teams of different sports such as football, soccer, hockey, basketball and more.
“Fans deserve recognition for their support,” Messi said in a statement. “I am proud to join Socios.com’s mission to create a more connected and rewarding future for fans around the world.”
Odell Beckham Jr. More athletes and sports teams are stepping into the crypto space, with some American football players like Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Rodgers getting all or some of their wages in crypto.