FC Barcelona - Fan engagement infrastructure Cardano

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

FC Barcelona

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Co-proposers and additional applicants

On behalf of the Barça Vision team composed by:

• Anna Soler
• Jordi Mompart
• Lucia Matamoros
• Ferran Salvat
• Holger Bittner
• Eric Carulla

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

12

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Using Cardano, Barça will engage fans through a learn-to-work platform, equipping them with skills, rewards, and verifiable credentials while driving adoption to Cardano via targeted marketing.

 

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

No, it is still undefined within the collaboration framework amongst our partners - we will try to open source outcomes that would best benefit of it.

[METADATA] Horizons

Community

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

About Football Club Barcelona

The Football Club Barcelona (Barça) is the world's third most valuable football club, worth $5.51 billion. Unlike other football clubs, FC Barcelona's supporters own and operate the club. As of May 2023, FC Barcelona has over 150,000 memberships, called Socis, and over 1,200 officially registered fan clubs, called Penyes. These Penyes promote the club in their localities and receive beneficial offers when visiting Barcelona. FC Barcelona is one of the most widely supported teams in the world and has one of the largest social media followings among sports teams, with over 400 million social network followers.

FC Barcelona has led the way in tech adoption, launching the "Members" app, where fans manage digital memberships, season tickets, and perks, along with the "Manager Portal" for Penya leaders to run their clubs and handle tickets. Now, they’re diving into Web3 with ambitious new strategies and vision.

About Barça Vision

Barça Vision (https://barcavision.fcbarcelona.com) is a cutting-edge platform leveraging emerging technologies such as Web3 and AI to transform the fan experience and unlock new revenue opportunities for FC Barcelona. By offering innovative products and services, Barça Vision aims to create a more engaging fan experience for everyone. Its ultimate goal is to collaboratively create a digital community—the Barçaverse —accessible for all fans to come together and share their passion for the club in new ways. Importantly, Barça Vision is designed to be inclusive, ensuring all fans can engage with it, regardless of their familiarity with Web3 technology.

Barça Vision is already active in Web3. Examples include Plastiks.io, a Web3 plastic credits marketplace that is in the process of being onboarded to Cardano (https://app.plastiks.io/campaigns/unleash-your-passion/landing_page) as well as two Masterpieces (NFTs) starring Johan Cruyff and Alexia Putellas that were auctioned, respectively, at Sotheby's NY and OpenSea. These Masterpieces are currently on display at MOCO Museum alongside artworks by Warhol, Banksy, Hairing, Basquiat and Kusama, among others. The first Masterpiece celebrates Johan Cruyff's impact on sport as an artistic expression and the second the empowerment of women in sport.

Proposal goal

This proposal aims to leverage Cardano to support Barça in engaging fans through digital community initiatives, driving mainstream adoption of the Cardano platform. FC Barcelona seeks to cultivate a culture of engagement and empower its fanbase with opportunities for meaningful action, harnessing their collective influence to drive positive change in the world. These initiatives include:

• Advancing Technology: Supporting initiatives that drive technological innovation and access.
• Championing Sustainability: Encouraging environmentally conscious practices and solutions.
• Expanding Global Reach: Expanding the club's positive influence to developing countries. With a global social network of 400 million fans, there remains significant potential for growth. Promoting gender equality and opportunities for women, since only 20% of FC Barcelona fans are women. 

 

  

The Andamio Platform

Andamio is a system that enables organizations to teach valuable skills that can lead to work opportunities. It is built on Cardano and combines a learning, contribution, and treasury management system. FC Barcelona believes in collaborating with the Andamio platform to unlock its vision for a socially impactful digital community.

The Andamio platform enables a dynamic "Learn-to-work" cycle where fans can:

• Learn: Acquire knowledge and skills related to the club's chosen digital community initiatives (empowering women, advancing technology,, sustainability, and global reach).
• Work: Actively participate in initiatives and projects that promote fan engagement and contribution.
• Get rewards: Digital assets and ADA rewards will be given for fan contributions.  

This continuous loop of learning and working fosters a thriving community where fans evolve into active agents of change. By empowering its fans in this way, FC Barcelona aims to amplify its positive impact on a global scale.

NMKR 

NMKR is a leading NFT infrastructure provider on the Cardano blockchain, offering a suite of tools that enable brands, companies, and enterprises to create and launch custom NFT projects with ease.

With a focus on accessibility, NMKR provides development APIs and No-Code building blocks that can be combined in a modular way to integrate NFT Minting and NFT Marketplace Trading functionalities on websites quickly and easily.

NMKR will provide infrastructure and support for digital asset minting and development APIs and No-Code building blocks that can be combined in a modular way to integrate it.

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Implementation of the Proposal:

Activating the FC Barcelona Community with the Andamio platform

FC Barcelona, in partnership with Andamio, is mobilizing its passionate global fanbase on Discord to drive positive change.

• Global Access Point: FC Barcelona recognizes the importance of its Discord server as a thriving online community where hundreds of thousands of fans can connect and interact. They believe that Discord will serve more tech-savvy fans, which provides a readily available and engaged audience for the proposal.
• Organic Community: The club will leverage the existing organic structure of its Discord server, working within its established channels and groups to integrate the Andamio platform proposal seamlessly.
• Andamio as the Engine: Discord will be the primary interface where fans can access and engage with the Andamio platform.

From Fans to Agents of Change

• Andamio's Transformative Role: The Andamio platform will facilitate the transformation of fans into active learners and contributors.
• Gain Practical Skills: Fans will develop valuable skills and knowledge directly relevant to addressing challenges in FC Barcelona's core impact areas of interest: history, women empowerment/gender inclusivity, technology, sustainability, and global reach in developing countries.
• Transition from Learner to Contributor: This process fosters a natural progression where fans evolve from acquiring knowledge (as students) to applying it (as contributors), creating a continuous cycle of learning and impactful action.
• Contribute to Solutions: Fans will apply their newfound skills to tackle specific tasks and contribute to meaningful solutions in FC Barcelona's core impact areas of interest.

Fig 1. Learn to Work cycle: Fan → Learner → Contributor cycle powered by the Andamio platform and endorsed by FC Barcelona.

The Scope of the Proposal

FC Barcelona fans will have short learning experiences based on the Cardano blockchain infrastructure, which will connect them to work opportunities.  

The following describes the scope of the proposal. 

1. Lean & work: We will combine 4 cycles of simple learning and work opportunities for Barça fans. Below are a few examples*: 

1. FC Barcelona 125 years celebration
2. Learn: Learn about key milestones in FC Barcelona's history.
3. Work: Create a short video with a message about Barça’s 125 years 
4. Gain: Receive a Barça 125 Years Digital Asset NFT.
5. Learn about FC Barcelona's sustainability activities
6. Learn: Learn about plastic recycling
7. Work: Record/photo yourself collecting plastics
8. Gain: Get FC Barcelona and Plastic NFT & special promotions
9. Learn about Web 3
10. Learn: Create and manage a wallet and its key functions (stake, send/receive, vote, trade) .
11. Work: Record the process of creating a wallet 
12. Gain: Get rewarded with ADA and an FC Barcelona NFT.
13. Learn about new fan engagement using Web 3
14. Learn: how to use 3 fan engagement dapps
15. Work: give feedback and new ideas
16. Gain: Get rewarded with ADA and an FC Barcelona NFT.

*The final decision regarding the content will be evaluated in Milestone 1 and will be made based on the following:

1. FC Barcelona's timely activities - for example, around the 125th anniversary
2. On-chain activities for non-web 3 FC Barcelona users, i.e., through custodial solutions
3. Training and onboarding process to become Web 3 users - also leading to on-chain activities
4. Aligned with FC Barcelona's objectives to grow the discord server users as a hub for tech and impact (equity & sustainability)   

  

Content creation: We will create an onboarding course to teach FC Barcelona fans how to open and use their wallets. Course creation in key areas for FC Barcelona (women empowerment/gender equality, technology, sustainability, and global reach in developing countries). 

For example the course about wallets would teach the necessary skills to:

1.1 Create and manage wallets.

1.2 Understand what Fungible tokens and Non-fungible tokens are.

1.3 Non-fungible tokens.

1.4 Learn about Cardano NFT marketplaces and how to use them.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Globally recognized organization

FC Barcelona is a globally recognized brand involved in various Web 3 initiatives, including the $BAR Fan token. This token provides FC Barcelona fans with exclusive perks, benefits, and voting rights on club choices. It is one among many Web 3 and blockchain projects in its portfolio, participating in blockchain platforms such as Chiliz and Polygon. 

Increase adoption and drive on chain activity and higher transaction volume.

This proposal provides step-by-step learn-to-work cycles, starting with simple tasks, enabling those without Web3 expertise to gradually acquire the skills needed to become proficient Cardano and Web3 users. We will significantly enhance adoption and drive higher transaction volume on the Cardano blockchain through diverse on-chain activities such as:

• On-chain learning credentials: Every learning cycle is recorded on-chain, providing verifiable proof of knowledge and fostering trust in skill development.
• On-chain recognition of work and contributions: Tasks and contributions are recorded on-chain, creating verifiable credentials composed of a transparent and traceable record of achievements.
• Treasury and NFT rewards distribution: Ada rewards are distributed through Andamio’s treasury management system, ensuring that they are directly tied to specific work opportunities and distributed so that anyone within the Cardano ecosystem can easily audit them. Other incentives for ongoing participation and value creation, such as tokens and NFTs, will be provided through strategic partnerships with reputable players in the ecosystem.
• NFT infrastructure & marketplace: digital assets for Barça fans new to the Cardano ecosystem will make it easier for them to access web 3 by receiving NFT rewards and they can sell and trade their earned digital assets, increasing transaction volume and adoption.
• Smart contract for skills and rewards
• Wallet activation and usage

Through this process, we estimate that each fan will generate between 4-10 on-chain transactions along the learn-to-work cycle. We will measure every activity (e.g., user adoption, number of new wallets opened, number of skills recorded on-chain, etc.) and share a dashboard to show the results. 

Projected On-Chain Impact:

Transaction Volume:

• Initial phase target: Over 1 million on-chain transactions
• Each learning cycle generates multiple transactions:
• Learning credential issuance
• Work submission verification
• Reward distribution
• NFT minting and transfers
• NFT rewards & ADA rewards

Measurable KPIs:

• Number of new wallets created
• Total transaction volume generated
• Number of NFTs minted and traded
• Active user engagement metrics
• Smart contract interactions
• Treasury distribution volume
• Cross-platform integration metrics

Interaction with the Cardano community 

This project is just the beginning. Going forward, a range of opportunities will be evaluated to enlarge the scope of this proposal and other Web 3-related opportunities. FC Barcelona is evaluating multiple Web 3 solutions: 

- Barça Metaverse Platform

- Further NFT Marketplace for digital collectibles and experiences

- Gaming Platform including fantasy sports and predictive markets

- Loyalty Program Infrastructure

- Governance Mechanisms for fan participation

- Stablecoin Integration

Thanks to the relationship established, Barca Vision is already interacting with several Cardano-based solutions, such as NMKR.io and Book.io. Other interactions can not be shared at this point. The work with FC Barcelona is also a reference for other sports initiatives contacting companies in the Cardano ecosystem.

Future plans for the social network infrastructure 

Multiple directions will be considered during the project and going forward. Here are some examples:

• Keep on building cycles of Learn to Work opportunities - this could be connected to the FC Barcelona sponsor network that will be interested in being part of the fan engagement experience 
• Connecting to reputation governance decisions (e.g., voting), we are interested in exploring potential synergies with Hermes and Catalyst voices.
• NFT - marketplace for community members who received NFTs as part of their rewards
• Different ecosystem product integrations - i.e., wallets - this integration will also consider a revenue model.  

Barça's vision will consider multiple revenue opportunities to continue building on the solution and growing the collaboration in the future. Some of those opportunities include sponsorships as well as revenue share (i.e. from the NFT marketplace & digital collectibles)

This implementation strategy has the potential to create one of the largest onboarding initiatives in Cardano's, bringing mainstream users into the ecosystem through a trusted, globally recognized brand. The learn-to-work model ensures sustainable, educated adoption rather than speculative interest, building a foundation for long-term ecosystem growth.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

The Barça Vision management team will lead and coordinate the work on this proposal. This team within the FC Barcelona organization is responsible for Web3 and the Discord channel.

Collaboration team

Barça Vision is working with the Andamio team to bring together multiple players from the Cardano ecosystem and beyond to support Barça’s digital community worldwide through skill learning, collaborative contributions, and reputation building. 

About Andamio

Andamio is a system that enables organizations to teach valuable skills that can lead to job opportunities. It is built on Cardano and combines a learning and contribution management system. With Andamio, organizations can create a network of verified learners and contributors. It offers cutting-edge pedagogical tools based on project-based learning, making it easy for organizations to create onboarding funnels. Moreover, it includes a contribution platform with an integrated treasury system for automatically distributing rewards for completed tasks.

Fig 3. Growth and impact of the Andamio network on the Cardano ecosystem, highlighting key partnerships and initiatives.

The Andamio team is multidisciplinary and has expertise in project-critical areas such as pedagogy, Cardano smart contracts, software, and business development. In a short time, we’ve successfully onboarded several key organizations within Cardano that are currently using the platform and exploring its use as an onboarding tool for their organizations. 

About NMKR

NMKR is a leading NFT infrastructure provider on the Cardano blockchain. It offers tools enabling brands, companies, and enterprises to easily create and launch custom NFT projects.

With a focus on accessibility, NMKR provides development APIs and No-Code building blocks that can be combined in a modular way to integrate NFT Minting and NFT Marketplace Trading functionalities on websites quickly and easily.

As the largest NFT infrastructure provider on the Cardano blockchain, NMKR has already minted over 2 Million NFTs and collaborated with high-profile celebrities and entities. Using NMKR, users can create unique NFT projects tailored to their specific needs, tapping into the growing market for digital assets.

At NMKR, we are committed to driving the adoption of digital assets and making NFT creation and trading accessible to everyone. Our platform's modular approach and user-friendly tools allow users to launch their NFT projects quickly and easily without needing advanced technical skills. We believe that NFTs represent the future of digital ownership and are excited to be at the forefront of this emerging market.

Collaboration with the Cardano community

The Cardano community is very active globally, and based on the collaboration roadmap, we can get support from local community hubs.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Required

This milestone focuses on:

• The project initiation, team assembly, and initial framework setup

Milestone output(s):

• An operational team from all parties is assigned and ready to work
• A finalized roadmap and project plan
• An initial selection of communities to target for onboarding and content for Learn to Work cycles.

Acceptance Criteria:

• Confirmation of team assembly and roles
• Approval of the project roadmap by all stakeholders
• Selection and approval of initial communities and content for Learn to Work cycles*

*In this phase we will decide on logical complexity progression of the learning cycles. An example reasoning could include:

1. Learn about FC Barcelona, FC Barcelona's digital assets (both Web3 and Web2), and Web 3 wallets.

2. Once they know about FC Barcelona and Web 3 wallets, they can learn and participate in FC Barcelona Web 3 initiatives like Plastiks, for example. The complexity should be to put the skills learned in the previous cycle to use.

Overall we will aim to have 4 learn to work/ contribute cycles

Timeline: 1-2 months

This milestone focuses on setting up FC Barcelona's Andamio platform and developing the content.

Milestone Output(s):

• Onboarding of FC Barcelona’s team to Andamio
• Development of the Learn to Work programs on Andamio
• Creating courses based on approved content from Milestone 1
• Attaching work opportunities to courses
• Set up a treasury to distribute rewards for approved work submissions

Acceptance Criteria:

• Training materials approved by the Barça Vision team.
• FC Barcelona’s Learn to Work program is live on Andamio

Timeline: 2 months 

This milestone focuses on the detailed onboarding process for community members, ensuring they have a smooth and engaging experience.

Milestone Output(s):

• Onboarding FC Barcelona community members in selected locations 
• Launch the first two cycles of Learn to Work/contribute - those cycles will be more oriented to a broader audience around key FC Barcelona themes (about FC Barcelona & FC Barcelona and sustainability initiatives)
• Conducting engagement activities with the community
• Digital assets as badges and rewards for active community members 

Acceptance Criteria:

• Active participation from community members
• Community members go through the Learn to Work cycles
• Rewards and badges granted to contributors

Timeline: 3 months

This milestone continues the Learn to Work cycle with higher complexity of learning, contributing, and receiving rewards 

Milestone Output(s):

• Onboarding of community members in two key locations 
• Launch two cycles of Learn to Work/contribute - those cycles will be more oriented to learn about web 3 skills 
• Conducting engagement activities with the community
• Digital assets as badges and rewards for active community members

Acceptance Criteria:

• Active participation from community members
• Community members go through the Learn to Work cycles
• Rewards and badges granted to contributors

Timeline: 3 months

This milestone focuses on evaluating the program and developing a scaling strategy, ensuring a clear path for the project's future.

Milestone Output(s):

• Evaluation of results 
• A strategy for scaling the program within key countries
• A plan for adding additional Cardano services - some ideas could include * 
• Wallet integrations
• Loyalty plans
• Integrating other Cardano products 

*This will be evaluated based on the opportunity to bring value to FC Barcelona fans as well as business opportunities to Barça

Acceptance Criteria:

• Proposal for further scaling of the program
• A plan for adding additional Cardabno services

Timeline: 2 months

Milestone Output(s):

• Comprehensive closeout report
• Closeout video
• A developed strategy for scaling the program

Acceptance criteria:

• Detailed closeout report and video detailing key insights and lessons learned as well as recommendations for the future
• Proposal for further scaling of the program

Timeline: 2 months

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Barça Vision Team - Project Lead 

• Jordi Mompart - Barça Vision Lead

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordi-mompart-4a75834/

• Anna Soler Oller - Responsible for Web3 and AI projects for FC Barcelona and Barça Vision

https://www.linkedin.com/in/annasoleroller/

• Holger Bittner - Director New Business Development at FC Barcelona

https://www.linkedin.com/in/holger-bittner-13261621/

Andamio - project coordinator & Andamio platform

• Nori Nishigaya - Collaboration and Governance Lead, workshops lead

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nishigaya/ 

• Roberto Mayen - Supporting project execution and technical integration

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberto-mayen-hess/ 

• Yoram Ben-Zvi, Business/Partners Lead - Coordinating with Barça Vision and partners 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoram-ben-zvi-446836/

• James Dunseith, Product Lead

https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-dunseith-0135651/

• Onboarding Andamio team members as needed for the project

NMKR - NFT and reward infrastructure 

• Patrick Tobler - NMKR CE, NFT Infrastructure Lead

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-tobler-6593b912b/

• Onboarding NMKR team members as needed for the project

 

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15pMBLULctyF7qkjdstbFSYOhUoPDETxktn_g2zP41q4/edit?gid=0#gid=0

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The Barça Vision project presents a remarkable opportunity to unite one of the world's most esteemed sports brands, FC Barcelona, with the cutting-edge capabilities of the Cardano blockchain. This partnership aims to leverage FC Barcelona's global reach and influence to promote the adoption and use of Cardano's blockchain technology. With a meticulously planned cost of 1,425,000 ADA, this project delivers exceptional value for several compelling reasons.

1. Global Brand Integration with Cardano

FC Barcelona, a global powerhouse valued at $5.51 billion and with a global fanbase, offers an unparalleled platform for the Cardano ecosystem. This partnership is not just about technology but global recognition and impact. By reaching millions of fans worldwide, we can significantly boost Cardano's brand recognition and adoption, opening up a world of possibilities.

2. Empowering Communities and Promoting Equity

The Barça Vision project is more than just a technological endeavor. It's a commitment to equality and sustainability, with a focus on empowering women and emerging markets. This project inspires change and aligns perfectly with Cardano's mission of creating a positive global impact through blockchain technology.

3. Innovative Use of Web3 for Community Engagement

The project leverages Web3 infrastructure to create a vibrant, engaged community on platforms like Discord. The project enhances fan engagement by providing skills training, work opportunities, and on-chain rewards. It demonstrates the practical and transformative applications of Cardano's blockchain technology.

4. Sustainable and Transparent Practices

Collaborating with Plastiks, a leading environmental organization, to promote sustainability through plastic credits exemplifies how blockchain can be used for environmental good. This partnership will involve creating and managing a blockchain-based plastic credit system, which will incentivize and reward sustainable practices. This aligns with Cardano's values of sustainability and innovation, showcasing the blockchain's capability to support and enhance global sustainability efforts.

5. Skill Development and Economic Opportunities

The project offers significant educational and economic benefits to the Barça community. Equipping participants with valuable skills for the digital age. Additionally, the project will create new economic opportunities by developing blockchain-based services and products. This skill development and economic empowerment benefits individuals and strengthens the broader Cardano ecosystem by creating a more knowledgeable and engaged user base.

6. Scalability and Future Growth

The project's structured milestones are designed to ensure scalability and future growth. Each milestone represents a significant achievement that will contribute to the project's overall success and pave the way for its expansion to more locations and communities. This long-term vision ensures that the initial investment will continue to yield benefits for FC Barcelona and the Cardano ecosystem as the project evolves and grows.

7. Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Integration

Collaborating with key Cardano ecosystem partners like Andamio, NMKR, and Women in Tech ensures the project is built on solid foundations with expert guidance. These partnerships enhance the project's credibility, implementation efficiency, and overall impact, ensuring that every dollar spent is optimized for maximum benefit.

In conclusion, the Barça Vision project represents a strategic, high-impact investment for the Cardano ecosystem. It combines the influence of a global brand with the transformative power of blockchain technology to create a project that is innovative, inclusive, scalable, and sustainable. The project's success will benefit FC Barcelona and contribute to the Cardano ecosystem's growth and development. Carefully allocating resources ensures the project delivers substantial value, driving adoption, engagement, and positive social impact across the Cardano community and beyond.