Dapper Labs makes digital gaming as accessible and easy as possible for the masses. But what do the company’s partnerships with sports giants NBA, UFC and NFL mean for both casual and die-hard fans? What does Dapper Labs’ Flow ecosystem actually do? For a brand that wants access to “everyone who has a phone”, what are Dapper Labs’ next steps? When Tatler’s special projects and VIP communications manager Natalya Xavier sat down with Mik Naayem for Tatler TV: Metaversed on July 7, she was determined to find out.
In case you missed it: Watch Season 1 of Tatler TV: Metaversed here
Between Crypto Kitties, a hugely successful blockchain game (and one of the industry’s first NFT collections), and Flow, a new blockchain built for the next generation of apps, games and digital assets, Naayem has had his hands full. The world of applications is massive, but Dapper Labs found its strength in collectibles, consumer products and gaming. Since its launch two years ago, NBA Top Shot, a marketplace where sport fans can buy, sell or trade basketball video clips and memorabilia, has been a gateway to Web3 technology adoption for many novices. Earlier this year, the brand passed US$1 billion in sales.
But why sport? Naayem says success is all about tapping into what people care about. “It started with the idea of people owning and collecting virtual things they care about. When we spoke to sport fans, it became obvious: people love to see incredible athletes achieve greatness. Those moments of greatness are what make us fall in love with a player or a team. These moments can be deeply emotional too. We knew that if we could package these moments and sell them to people they would be considerably better than a portrait on a piece of cardboard,” he says, recounting his own standout memory of football ace Zinedine Zidane famously headbutting Marco Materazzi at the 2006 Fifa World Cup. “I can tell you exactly where I was and what I was doing when that happened,” he says, laughing. Now, his platform is giving fans a chance to relive and own other iconic moments in sporting history.

