Platinium Group, the premier ticket provider for Grand Prix events, has joined forces with an NFT marketplace, Elemint; and a web3 company, Bary, to release a new NFT ticketing system on Polygon that debuted this weekend at the Formula 1 event in Monaco.

Tickets for the Monaco Grand Prix, which is ongoing and started on Friday, May 26, are being minted on Polygon, the Ethereum sidechain that enables fast processing speeds and high throughput.

Polygon Labs’ head of global business development, Urvit Goel, emphasized that the platform’s use of Ethereum’s robust security and NFTs’ unfalsifiable uniqueness improves ticket authenticity, reduces the likelihood of counterfeiting, and gives fans a digital memento they can keep forever.

The ticketing platform combines the robust security of Ethereum with the forge-proof uniqueness of NFTs to enhance ticket authenticity and prevent counterfeiting while providing fans with lasting digital mementos.

Polygon Rally

In response to this deal, MATIC prices rallied on May 26, soaring to as high as $0.97. Even though prices have since retracted, the upswing momentum remains and the token appears to be bottoming up.

Whether this event will trigger more gains in the sessions ahead is yet to be seen. However, the spike that lifted MATIC above key resistance levels on May 26 may be the foundation for another rally going forward.

Currently, MATIC is down 40% from February 2023 highs and remains under pressure, trailing other assets, including BTC.

Besides price action, the release of the new ticketing platform on Polygon is when NFTs are finding new uses after a concerning contraction in 2022.

Bertrand Labays, Platinum Group’s Chief Operating Officer, said the integration of blockchain in their operations is “imperative” and that NFTs would play a role in sports.

NFT’s Rising Popularity

Last year, NFTs trading volumes contracted, following the sharp retracement of asset prices. While MATIC recovered in Q1 2023, gains have not been strong in Q2 2023. However, the platform is positioning itself as a go-to portal for minting NFTs.

Specifically, users are finding Polygon’s low-fees and high scalability an advantage. Besides, Polygon’s EVM compatibility means issuers can move their assets to Ethereum.

Still, whether the recent announcement from Platinum will draw more interest remains to be seen.

Recently, Formula 1 also partnered with Tezos, a self-amending layer-1 blockchain, to launch a new NFT ticketing system. In this arrangement, Formula 1 fans would easily purchase tickets that exist as NFTs and stored permanently on the Polygon and Ethereum competitor.

Beyond that, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) joined hands with Chiliz to create a new NFT ticketing platform on Socios.com for NFL fans to purchase tickets.