The MINT Collective, a first-of-its-kind event uniting sports collectors, professionals, and investors, announced today that global commerce leader eBay has joined as an exclusive partner and the event’s presenting sponsor.
Nicole Colombo, General Manager of Collectibles and Trading Cards at eBay, will also join the event’s speaker series to discuss the significant growth of sports collecting on the eBay marketplace, as well as the current and future state of the e-commerce industry.
“At eBay, we actively listen to our community of collectors and are constantly investing in ways to provide them with better experiences,” said Nicole Colombo, General Manager of Collectibles and Trading Cards at eBay. “Today, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with The MINT Collective to continue bringing some of the best collaborations to life for our community of passionate sellers, buyers, sports fanatics, and eBay consumers alike.”
The partnership comes at an exciting time for the industry, as collectibles have catapulted into mainstream conversations previously reserved for fantasy sports and sports betting. The sports collectibles market is growing at a fast clip relative to the overall $370 billion global collectibles market, attracting a new type of collector drawn to this alternative asset class and its high-yielding return potential.
Also announced Tuesday, Wheelhouse CEO Brent Montgomery, and Dapper Labs’ Head of Partnerships Caty Tedman will join UFC President Dana White and StockX Co-Founder Josh Luber as event speakers.
Brent Montgomery established Wheelhouse in 2018, in partnership with Jimmy Kimmel, as a venture that coalesces content, celebrity, brands, and capital to accelerate programming and business opportunities across platforms, with focus on tech and consumer. A serial entrepreneur who has launched and grown businesses across media, investment, real estate, culinary, and more, Montgomery oversees an operation that encompasses content and production, brand marketing, investment, a digital-first/influencer division, and real estate, including the physical “Wheelhouses” in New York, Los Angeles, and Stamford, CT.
“I’ve been a sports fan and collector all my life, beginning with a baseball card business I started with my dad when I was a kid,” said Montgomery. “We’ve seen an amazing boon these last years for collecting and the rise of collectibles as an asset class. To see the excitement for it all come together at The MINT Collective, in Vegas, and with collectors of all ages and from different walks of life is fantastic and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
As the Head of Partnerships for Dapper Labs, Caty Tedman was crucial in the success of launching the NBA partnership with Dapper Labs on NBA TopShot. Having spent a decade in sports technology leadership in various roles at the NHL, NFL, and ESPN, she continues to oversee key partnerships at Dapper Labs and is a catalyst in designing blockchain based IP-driven opportunities to bring fans closer to what they love.
“At Dapper Labs, we are reimagining the sports collectibles and memorabilia market, merging the traditional sports collecting space with the Flow blockchain to take fandom to the next level,” says Tedman. “We are excited to share our journey at The MINT Collective, talk about building sports communities on blockchain and how we’re bringing fans closer to the sports, teams, and athletes they love in ways that have never before been possible.”
The MINT Collective is a joint endeavor from IMG, a global leader in sports, events, fashion, and media, and Collectable, the leading fractional investing platform for blue chip sports collectibles. The collectibles conference will take place Jan. 28-30, 2022 in Las Vegas at the UFC Apex and MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
Tickets for The MINT Collective are now on sale at TheMINTCollective.com.
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