Leading global technology company, FanCraze, has been announced asBetway SA20’s official digital collectibles partner, an unprecedented multi-year partnership that will take the League into the Metaverse. The collaboration makes SA20 the first cricket league to launch digital collectibles in their inaugural season.

SA20 and FanCraze will launch official digital player cards from next week, giving fans an opportunity to collect their favourite players, play games, trade with other fans and unlock unique experiences.

Betway SA20 League Commissioner, Graeme Smith said: “We are an innovative and digitally-led League so it makes sense for us to partner with a brand on the forefront of technology. We want to give our fans an all-round immersive experience on and off the field and we hope this partnership will take our offering to the next level.”

The partnership will see the League pioneering into FanCraze’s extensive digital collectibles world, which features a portfolio of more than 50 000 players. Current franchise players in the League will also be benefitting from the association and revenue streams. Starting next week fans will be able to purchase official League collectibles on www.fancraze.com.

South African Cricketers Association (SACA) CEO, Andrew Breetzke has hailed the landmark deal. “SACA has had extensive engagement with Betway SA20 on the introduction of a number of exciting commercial initiatives – all of which will benefit the league and the players.  This partnership between SA20 and FanCraze will further enhance the reputation of the SA20 as a leading League in the world and open up additional revenue streams for players.”

SA20 joins the International Cricket Council (ICC), Cricket West Indies, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and a number of teams, leagues and cricket stars in the impressive stable of the fast-growing multi-million dollar company.

Anshum Bhambri, CEO, FanCraze said: “FanCraze is thrilled to partner with the inaugural SA20. With the launch of SA20 Player Cards and an innovative gaming experience for fans, FanCraze continues to solidify our position as the market leader in cricket digital collectibles. We cannot wait to unlock even more categories of collectibles, games, and multi-modal digital experiences as we evangelise the Web 3.0 space for cricket audiences around the world.”

The first match of the League will feature MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals at Newlands on 10 January.