The TON Foundation has integrated blockchain-based athlete collectibles into Telegram’s FUSE marketplace, allowing users to purchase digital stickers of cricket stars that provide gameplay advantages in SCOR’s mini-games.
Launched October 6, the initiative features NFT packs with players including Rashid Khan, Sunil Narine, and Adil Rashid. Each sticker doubles as both a collectible and an in-game power-up, marking Telegram’s most significant push into on-chain sports entertainment.
‘This is a first-of-its-kind launch for Telegram: collectible sports packs with real gameplay utility,’ said Max Crown, CEO of the TON Foundation.
The stickers are priced in TON tokens and built on the TON blockchain, which powers Telegram’s crypto integrations.
TON Foundation brings Web3 athlete stickers to Telegram with in-game rewards
Redefining fan ownership through Web3 sport stickers
For Tom Mizzone, CEO of Sweet, the organization behind SCOR, this partnership signals a fundamental shift in how fans interact with sports in the digital era. Speaking to Bitcoin.com News, he noted that Web3 sport stickers represent a major upgrade from conventional Web2 gaming models.
“The breakthrough in Web3 goes beyond digital ownership,” Mizzone said. “It’s about recognizing and rewarding the essential role that fans play in the sports ecosystem.”
He explained that while fans drive value through engagement, from ticket purchases to social media activity, the financial benefits typically go to the platforms, not the communities. Through blockchain integration, Web3 sport stickers aim to rebalance this equation by giving fans verifiable digital assets that grow in value through participation and competition.
Addressing skepticism in the Web3 gaming community
The release of Web3 sport stickers comes amid growing skepticism from traditional gamers, who argue that many blockchain-based games prioritize profit over fun. The perception that Web3 gaming is “earn-first, play-later” has often deterred mainstream adoption.
Mizzone directly addressed this challenge, emphasizing that SCOR’s approach prioritizes gameplay quality. “Sports fans can jump in quickly, have fun, and compete using the athletes and teams they already love while building their SCOR-ID naturally,” he said.
“Meanwhile, Web3 natives play for the added dimension of knowing that what they achieve, wins, leaderboard positions, and tokens, actually belongs to them, can’t be taken away, and becomes part of their lasting fan identity.”
By focusing on skill-driven competition and integrating recognizable sports figures, SCOR hopes to position Web3 sport stickers as the bridge between Web2 gaming familiarity and the new frontier of decentralized fan ownership.
A new era for fan-driven sports engagement
The partnership between TON Foundation and SCOR underscores the broader evolution of blockchain in mainstream entertainment. By embedding Web3 sport stickers within Telegram’s fast-growing digital environment, both organizations are turning casual fan interactions into meaningful, reward-based experiences.
This model may serve as a blueprint for how sports organizations, clubs, and leagues could use Web3 sport stickers to enhance engagement and monetization, without alienating traditional audiences. For policy makers and industry leaders, it also demonstrates the potential of transparent, decentralized ownership in fan economies — a direction that could redefine how loyalty and participation are rewarded across digital platforms.
As blockchain innovation continues to merge with global sports culture, Web3 sport stickers could become the next major step toward a more interactive, player-owned digital fandom.
Moses Edozie is a writer and storyteller with a deep interest in cryptocurrency, blockchain innovation, and Web3 culture. Passionate about DeFi, NFTs, and the societal impact of decentralized systems, he creates clear, engaging narratives that connect complex technologies to everyday life.