Trade Cards in Crypto

Midway through 2021 whilst researching Cryptocurrency projects, I became aware of Sorare, the fantasy football Dapp and NFT (non-fungible token). Sorare enables football fans to manage licensed football player cards and playing them to acquire rewards. Consider them as digital equivalents to private collectibles that you own; remember the Panini sticker albums? Well the platform is fashioned on trading and collecting cards, using ETH, the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum. Sorare cards represent investment in real-world players based on real-world performances and events.

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Card Scarcity

NFTs are unique units of data stored on the Ethereum Blockchain proving a digital asset as non-changeable. Hence, their value is often greater than their physical counterparts as they never lose quality. Each card has certain scarcity (see below) which determines a different value. When you first log in you will acquire common (white) cards to build a team. Common cards are free alternatives for winning prizes, yet have no value and can’t be traded on the NFT marketplace.

The Aim of the Game

Users build teams of 5 players and enter them into Sorare’s SO5 bi-weekly game. Each team needs a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, forward and one extra player. Based on real-life data, your player cards will earn you XP points, new cards and ETH. The XP scoring is based on stats that directly impact the result of a game like a goal, an assist or a red card. Ideally, you want to avoid DNPs (Did Not Play), for example, injuries and suspensions, because they score your player 0. Use SorareData for team news; read more on the player scoring system.

Starting Out – Sorare Casual League

You can use your common cards in the casual leagues where you’re vying with other new users. Once entering you can play continually and you’re guaranteed to win common cards. The higher you place, the higher ranked cards you win. Additionally, you can enter the training league with any card combination to give your players opportunity to gain XP. XP points make your cards more superior enabling you to compete in higher divisions.

League Types

There are a wealth of Global and Regional league tournaments accessible via the ‘Play’ tab. Each league is defined by card scarcity and contains different divisions, of which you can enter 1 team per division. Currently, global competitions include All Star and Under 23 leagues while regions comprise the Americas, Asia and Europe. Below are the requirements necessary to participate in each division: 

Depositing Ethereum

Depositing Ethereum into Sorare is actually straightforward once you’re aware of the wallet options. For those with a Metamask wallet, click on ‘deposit’ (top right) and connect your Metamask wallet. However, if you don’t yet have one you can use other crypto wallets. If you’re not familiar with crypto, Ramp is a useful alternative for depositing via debit card or bank transfer. Ramp provides excellent value as you don’t have to deposit ETH and will therefore avoid gas fees.

Buying Cards

You can buy cards new from the market (new card auctions) or directly from other managers (manager sales). New cards can be bought singularly or in bundles. Existing Cards (owned by other managers) were previously issued by Sorare. Sorare also hold weekly card sale events, known as power hours, every Sunday from 21.00-22.00 European Time. With SorareData you’re able to view the performance including average scores of any player over the last 5, 15 and 40 appearances.

Conclusion

Due to the ability of blockchains and cryptocurrency, dapps like Sorare offer opportunity to learn more about crypto and its benefits. The increasing numbers of partnerships between crypto enterprises and renowned sports brands have contributed to a price boom on NFT cards. Additionally, card value can be determined by player age, potential and consistency, important factors to consider when purchasing. Personally, an enjoyable and rewarding aspect of Sorare is researching and identifying high scoring players while learning about unfamiliar leagues and players.