Tennessee’s Ben Joyce uses NIL to honor fastest pitch in college baseball history

Tennessee Volunteers pitcher Ben Joyce used NIL to create his own NFT commemorating that he threw the fastest pitch ever in college baseball history.

The flame-throwing Joyce threw a 105.5 mph pitch on May 1 against Auburn. Joyce, a Knoxville, Tenn., native that has a 2.48 ERA this season, recently announced he’s working with NFT platform Fanpage and the Athlete Licensing Company to create the non-fungible token.

The one-of-a-kind Gold NFT mixes 2D and 3D art in a captivating design. The character was created by Call of Duty character developers 1518 Studios.

“This beautiful piece of digital memorabilia represents a historic moment in time and is sure to be coveted for generations to come,” the Fanpage website says.

Ben Joyce's 105.5 MPH Fastball. pic.twitter.com/4a2R8iMw1A

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 1, 2022

An NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency. Although they’ve been around since 2014, NFTs are gaining notice now because they are becoming an increasingly popular way to buy and sell digital artwork. They’ve also become a big part of NIL, as student-athletes can use the digital artwork to profit off their college success.

Furthermore, student-athletes, such as LSU quarterback Myles Brennan, are using NFTs to also provide fans with exclusive opportunities like private chats, behind-the-scenes content and in-person events with players.

“NFTs are quickly becoming a go-to vehicle for college athletes to monetize their Name, Image and Likeness,” Billy Rodgers, Fanpage CEO, said in a news release. “It not only offers collectors an opportunity to invest in the future of rising athletes. But also it gives fans, alumni and boosters the ability to help support these kids who dedicate so much of their lives to playing sports and bringing immense value to their universities.”

The Ben Joyce NFT is available for auction on benjoyce.fanpage.com. Additionally, the site is also offering several other NFTs, including animated signed baseball NFTs.

NFTS and NIL

Ben Joyce isn’t the first college athlete to use NFTs as a NIL opportunity. Since NIL rules have changed, many athletes have taken advantage of them. One early example was the NFTs that former Florida State quarterback McKenzie Milton and former Miami quarterback D’Eriq King’s company, Dreamfield, created and sold for the two.

The two aren’t alone. There are numerous NFT companies working extensively in the NIL space. That includes The Players Lounge, which has worked extensively in this space.

“There are new college athlete-focused NFT projects and businesses popping up every week, and there are more on the way,” said Mit Winter, a sports attorney at Kansas City-based Kennyhertz Perry LLC. “And I think this makes a lot of sense. I’ve always viewed NIL and NFTs as a perfect match.

“College sports fans are very passionate about the teams they cheer for. They often want to own something to commemorate a certain player’s career or a special moment for a player or team. NFTs make it easy for fans to own those moments forever. Plus, at the same time, they can support their favorite athletes through NIL payments.”

On3’s Daniel Morrison contributed to this story.