Art Blocks’ Engine x ATP
Today, the generative art powerhouse and ATP, a global governing body of men’s professional tennis, launched the first data-driven generative art project capturing the sport and beauty of in-match tennis data from the Nitto ATP Finals –– the electrifying season finale of the ATP Tour.
The project entitled LOVE is Art Blocks Engine’s first partnership with a sports franchise and a significant advancement in the intersection of sports and web3. Created as a commemorative piece of sports memorabilia, the NFT will be generated entirely from official in-match data from the ATP Tour’s season finale. Shadows and court lines will indicate each ball’s location, velocity and direction of travel at the point of impact, creating not only a form of art but a reinvention of sports memorabilia.
“Art Blocks Engine is the newest offering from Art Blocks, aimed at pushing forward the power of generative and allowing partners to share the magic of the minting experience with their communities. This project with ATP is a compelling use case for the intersection of tennis and dynamic digital collectibles, commemorating what will be historic moments from the Nitto ATP Finals. We are so excited to be a part of this project furthering the intersection of art, sports, and crypto.” Hugh Heslep, Art Blocks Chief Operating Officer
LOVE will generate artwork entirely from official in-match data from the ATP Tour’s season finale, provided by Tennis Data Innovations. Shadows and court lines will indicate each ball’s location, velocity and direction of travel at the point of impact. Additional variables will be used to generate unexpected colors, texture and zoom, creating unique and beautiful collectibles for fans. The resulting works are not only a form of art but a reinvention of sports memorabilia.
“Art is in everything—a newspaper, a letter, a swing in a tennis match. These ordinary objects and moments can be broken apart into simple components and built back up into more intricate languages.” Martin Grasser
The LOVE collection goes on sale on Tuesday, December 6, where the artwork will be revealed at the point of minting. Each NFT will be randomly assigned a particular shot, selected from Nitto ATP Finals data, which will be used to live-generate the artwork at the point of sale.
“Web3 is unlocking incredible new opportunities to innovate and bring sport to life for fans. LOVE represents an exciting first step in the space for the ATP Tour. The collection allows fans to own unique artwork generated by our season finale and showcases the richness of data we have in tennis. We’re delighted to break new ground at the intersection of sports and web3 in collaboration with true leaders in the industry.” Daniele Sanó, ATP Chief Business Officer
Following the mint and reveal, collectors will be able to order a high-quality physical print of their artwork via Level Frames. In order to preserve the artwork’s exclusivity this process will be ‘token-gated’, ensuring that each NFT can only be printed by its owner. Fans will also be able to trade their LOVE NFT on the secondary market, with 1% of all secondary sales to be donated directly to the Giving Block’s Mental Health Impact Fund.
