Neil Leifer’s Iconic Sports Photography to be Celebrated Through a New Fine Art NFT Collection in Partnership with WAX
The Collection will be Immortalized on the Blockchain Beginning November 9
(Los Angeles, CA) – November 03, 2021 – Worldwide Asset eXchange (WAX) is celebrating the legacy of globally renowned photographer, Neil Leifer, through the release of a fine art NFT collection titled “Decades: The Sixties (Part 1)”. This initial drop, which is the first of an ongoing series, marks the first time Leifer’s fine art photographs will be available on the blockchain. This monumental expansion to the blockchain will launch on WAX on November 9 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET.
Legendary photographer, Neil Leifer, is releasing some of his iconic photography as fine art NFTs series called Decades: The Sixties (Part 1) as part of a collaboration with the Worldwide Asset eXchange (WAX). The release marks the first time Leifer’s art photography will be available in the virtual realm. From memorable shots of Muhammad Ali to Mickey Mantle, Leifer’s monumental shift from analog to digital will begin on WAX on November 9 at 10am PT / 1pm ET. The most memorable moments in sports history captured in Leifer’s Sports Illustrated photography collection will be made available to the public in over 1,200 Collector Packs (featuring two pre-minted NFTs per pack) for $99.99 USD each.
Admirers of Leifer’s photography will get much closer to owning a piece of his legendary work now that some of his fine art will make the shift from analog epoch to digital. I’ve attached the press release to this email for your reference. Please let me know if you or someone from your outlet would be interested in covering the news – looking forward to hearing from you!
Widely regarded as the most prolific sports photographer of all time, Leifer’s 60-plus year photography career began when he captured the game-winning touchdown in “The Greatest Game Ever Played” in 1958 at age 16. Since then, his work has been published in countless publications and featured on over 170 Sports Illustrated covers. He has captured iconic historical moments, notable athletes and public figures, and global sporting events. NFT collectors and admirers of Leifer’s photography will have the opportunity to own a piece of his legendary work with the launch of “Decades: The Sixties (Part 1)”.
“When I started my career in the 1950s, I could have never imagined that one day my photos would end up digitized as NFTs,” said Leifer. “It is an honor to have this opportunity to share my art in a new way.”
“Decades: The Sixties (Part 1)” features some of the most iconic moments in sports history and will be made available to the public in a limited drop of just 1,248 Collector Packs (featuring two pre-minted NFTs per pack) for $99.99 USD each. The first drop features five distinct packs containing a varied selection of Leifer’s photography, each with unique décor applications including Black & White Strip, Redlight, Color Strip, Slide and Framed.
The framed pieces are the rarest of the offerings and provide collectors the opportunity to meet Leifer in a virtual meet and greet, receive a unique video of Leifer relaying the story behind the NFT and claim one of six physical prints from Leifer’s collection as part of the series’ vIRLs (virtual+In Real Life).
The collection represents one of the most impactful and influential assortments ever released on WAX’s carbon-neutral blockchain marketplace. “We believe that the Neil Leifer collection is one of the greatest NFT series we’ve shared through our platform to date,” said William Quigley, co-founder of WAX. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer such a meaningful and accessible collection of world-class art to fans and collectors.”
Ahead of the official release on November 9 at 10:00 AM PT / 1:00 PM ET, prospective buyers can visit wallet.wax.io to set up a WAX Cloud Wallet. More details about the collection will be made available on the official WAX Discord, WAX Twitter, and WAX website.
Purchasing NFTs on WAX and its associated marketplaces ensures a green future for the blockchain. Officially certified as carbon-neutral, WAX provides fans with the collectibles they desire while offering the chance for partners and artists to flourish and supply valuable treasures for years to come. Visit https://on.wax.io/CO2/ for more info.
About WAX
The Worldwide Asset eXchange™ (WAX), aka the King of NFTs, is the world’s #1 blockchain, as measured by number of users and transactions, according to Dappradar.com. WAX’s mission is to bring NFTs to the mass market in the safest, most secure, environmentally friendly, and easy-to-use marketplace in the world. WAX is also the leading entertainment NFT network — in 2018, WAX introduced vIRLs®, giving consumer product companies the ability to directly link NFTs to physical consumer products. Co-founded in 2017 by William E. Quigley and Jonathan Yantis, WAX has facilitated the trade of more than 100 million digital collectables including Major League Baseball (via Topps MLB collectables), Capcom’s “Street Fighter,” and world-renowned entertainers Deadmau5 and Weezer. For more information, please visit https://wax.io and follow along on Twitter and Discord.
About Neil Leifer
Neil Leifer is an American photographer, author and filmmaker. His photography career began on his 16th birthday, when he captured the game-winning touchdown in the 1957 NFL title game, also known as “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” Over his 60-plus year career, Neil has captured over 15 Olympic Games, 4 FIFA World Cup soccer tournaments, 17 Kentucky Derbies, 15 Masters golf tournaments, countless World Series games, 13 Super Bowls, and every important heavyweight boxing title fight since 1960. Additionally, Leifer has photographed many of history’s most notable figures and events including The Royal Wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, President Ronald and Nancy Reagan on Inauguration Day in 1981, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Fidel Castro. He has had 170 pictures published on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the most coveted space in sports media.
Perhaps most well known for having documented his favorite subject, Muhammad Ali, Leifer captured photos of the up-and-coming boxer named Cassius Clay through his rise to superstardom when he earned his title the “Greatest of All Time.” In 2014, Leifer became the only photographer to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Neil has published 18 books, four of which are already considered classics by many sports enthusiasts. Leifer is now a full-time filmmaker. He has produced and/or directed two feature films, five documentaries and eight short live-action films.
Follow Neil Leifer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more than 30 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass and e-commerce channels and in more than 6,300* freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world.
ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®*, Eddie Bauer®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Nautica®, Izod®, Forever 21®, Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Frederick’s of Hollywood®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Van Heusen®, Arrow®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Vision Street Wear®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Herve Leger®, Frye®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Thomasville®, Drexel® and Henredon®. Pending acquisition in Q1 2022*.
For more information, visit authenticbrands.com.
Follow ABG on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
