As each year goes by, the global sports industry edges closer to being worth one trillion dollars. For a long time, fandom and engagement were mostly conducted in the pub and the stadium where our team was playing in. But, in 2025, traditional models and their unidirectional communication are becoming insufficient in the digital world, and this change began with social media. Blockchain technology suggests we can take this a step further. As a decentralized alternative, and like many industries it graces, it offers a new way to create fan interactions. The upcoming Hacking Pairs event offers a glimpse into how this may be possible. What is "Hacking Paris"? A deep dive into the Chiliz hackathon Hacking Paris is the official Chiliz Hackathon. Essentially, it’s an intensive and forward-thinking event hosted at Parc des Princes, which is the esteemed home of Paris Saint-Germain. It’s a coming together of not just sports and technology, but decentralized innovation. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption and sophisticated development of blockchain technology within the sports and entertainment verticals. The Chiliz Chain infrastructure is sport-specific by design, and the event will be centered around coding and development within this. The event is bringing in some big industry names, along with an international cohort of developers, UX/UI designers, blockchain strategists and, of course, sports aficionados. In the PSG stadium of all places, they will be competing for a $150,000 prize pool and the opportunity to shape the future of fan engagement. Blockchain's playbook: Key innovation tracks at Hacking Paris The Hacking Paris agenda is all about exploiting blockchain's full potential in sports. A primary focus is on "Fan Token Utility Reinvented," and this is where participants will explore new applications that go well beyond the current voting and reward systems that we have. They will aim for authentic engagement and tangible value. Socios.com, which is powered by Chiliz, has already shown the market appetite, with Paris Saint-Germain Fan Tokens achieving over $121 million trading volume in just 24 hours. Another area of focus is going to be "Digital Merchandise & Collectibles". This is, as you may have already guessed, the use of NFTs to create unique and verifiable digital assets that will help deepen fan ownership. After all, fans no longer want to be observers, but participants, and have some stake in what they care about. Solutions for "Elevating the Stadium Experience" through blockchain integrations will be one to keep an eye on, as they’re all about improving immersion. While we don’t know what innovations will be created, it may look something like predicting the next events during a game, in real-time, to earn points. Pooling together this fan sentiment could also be of interest, or perhaps issuing NFTs for being there, in person, to experience certain big events (a little bit like a company paying dividends out of its profits). "Decentralized Fan Governance" will further explore these kinds of themes, particularly with many British football fans looking to German fan ownership models and how successful they are. The blockchain, after all, could be an efficient way of organising this. The impact: Redefining fan engagement and loyalty Blockchain's integration into sports fandom is all about bringing the fan and their club or team closer together. It’s championed by initiatives like Hacking Paris, but has a broader appeal that feels inevitable to redefine engagement and loyalty. The real difference from real fans might be felt in going from passively watching to active participation. As fans get a taste for more involvement, it’s likely the appetite will grow, and it could be a more equitable way of rewarding those who are the most loyal supporters. For the sports teams and clubs, they have an interest in gamifying this engagement, of course, as it’s this very loyalty and spectating figures that are their revenue. The traditional model is a one-way support, but blockchain governance models could create a more symbiotic relationship. Projections in this are a CAGR of over 15% between 2025 and 2035. Of course, this is in part driven by an appetite from Gen Z and Millennials. "Hacking Paris" and the future of sports The innovations that will come out of "Hacking Paris" are yet to be seen, but its very prize pool (and the spectacle of being in PSG’s stadium) is a showcase of how to attract eyes and innovation. PSG themselves will be keeping an eye on developments, of course, and the many success stories that come from these Chiliz-led events. What we do know is that both blockchain and sports are on the same path of aligned growth, and that Gen-Z, while having many different habits from older generations, are very much interested in sports. The blockchain-powered fandom revolution is here A few years ago, blockchain technology and sports fandom seemed like worlds apart. In 2025, they appear to be a recipe for success, though we are yet to fully gauge what the real-world adoption will be from such innovation. But with young generations more interested in digital ownership over assets, along with the digitisation of sports viewing, the environment is there for some radical changes in how sports teams interact and reward their loyal supporters. Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
