A World First! A New Form of Supporting the Academy's Future | Avispa DAO Academy Co-Education Lab [Vol. 2]
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement for Avispa Fukuoka and Avispa DAO.
The "Avispa DAO Academy Co-Education Program supported by SMBC" is a joint effort between SMBC and Avispa.
We have now released the second installment of our streaming content, "Avispa DAO Academy Co-Education Lab," where you can learn more about the goals and background of this program, as well as the Avispa Fukuoka Academy that it serves.
Ending the "One-Way" Street of Sports Support
"I want to contribute more to the club I support." "I want to feel that my support is helping future star players."
Have you ever felt this way? Until now, support in the sports world has mainly been a "one-way" relationship, where companies pay sponsorship fees and fans buy tickets and merchandise.
In this second installment of the "Avispa DAO Academy Co-Education Lab," we will delve into this challenge that overturns conventional wisdom, a world-first challenge, with the following members and special guests.
Jun Suzuki (Avispa DAO OB Ambassador / Club and Academy alumnus)
Miyu Kano (Avispa Fukuoka Official DAO Ambassador / Fukuoka-born singer-songwriter)
Takashi Kawamori (Chairman and Representative Director, Avispa Fukuoka)
Yoshikazu Kamino (Avispa Fukuoka Web3 Business Development Manager)
A new form of sports support that aims to be realized through co-creation with the SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) Group, "Raising and supporting together." We covered the full scope of this initiative and discussed its content and potential with our two guests.
Click here for the full version of the video
The video content released this time is also about 50 minutes long...
You might think it's a bit long, so in this note, we have condensed the key points of the video into five parts and summarized them in an article along with a digest version of the video.
Even if you don't have time to watch the whole video, we hope you will use this note to experience this new form of sports support.
1. A bank joins the fray with the "courage to break through." Why did they team up with a mega-bank?
(🎥 You can watch the background and passionate thoughts behind the project in the video below)
The "Academy Co-Education Program" launched this time is a world-first mechanism that utilizes Web3/DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) technology to allow fans and supporters to be involved in the development of academy players (U-13) in a "two-way" manner.
The day the bank that "looks before it leaps" changed
The biggest surprise of this project is that the partner is the mega-bank SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) Group. Generally speaking, banks might have an image of being "conservative" or "cautious." However, the current internal slogan of the SMBC Group is "Courage to Break Through."
Meanwhile, Avispa Fukuoka has branded itself as "The club in Japan that gathers the most social issues," and has continued to take on unprecedented challenges. Following a chance encounter at a startup event, both parties' "passion for transformation" resonated, and this collaboration was realized with exceptional speed.
Why focus on "U-13"?
Until now, sponsorships have mainly been a "one-way" (one-way ticket) relationship where companies provide money and supporters cheer. However, this program puts the spotlight on players from the stage of being unknown first-year junior high school students (U-13).
To ensure that talented children do not give up on their dreams due to financial reasons, and so that they can weave a story of growth together with their supporters, we are using the power of Web3 to create a new foundation for development: "Nurtured by everyone, supported by everyone."
2. Your "vote" changes a player's destiny. 3 innovative support measures
(🎥 The explanation based on the real-life experience of former player Jun Suzuki is a must-see.)
This program targets U-13 players who will be first-year junior high school students starting this spring. The collected support funds will be utilized mainly through the following three frameworks, while reflecting the will of the DAO members.
① Avispa DAO Voting Framework (A world first!?)
This is a very unique mechanism where the allocation of support funds to each player fluctuates according to the voting results by DAO members. You can find your "favorite player" and directly boost their growth.
② Overseas Individual Study Abroad Framework
We will cover the soaring costs of overseas expeditions due to the weak yen and high prices, supporting talented players so they do not lose the "opportunity to know the world" due to financial reasons.
③ Financial Support Framework
We will provide support so that environments and opportunities to focus on soccer are not lost due to family circumstances.
💬 Perspective from OB Ambassador Jun Suzuki
"Being aware from junior high school that 'I have official fans' leads to a very great sense of responsibility and motivation for becoming a professional. Rather than learning how to deal with fans after becoming a professional, being able to feel the 'meaning of being supported' from the development age should be an invaluable experience for the players."
3. Is being good at soccer not enough? Human education "JPPP" that nurtures professionals
(🎥 What is the curriculum that surprised even Tokano-san, saying 'I want to do it over again!'?)
What is needed to succeed as a professional athlete is not just outstanding physical ability or technique. Based on the development guidelines "JPPP" (J-Triple-P) formulated by the J.League, Avispa DAO will also support the development of the following three abilities.
Career Planning (The ability to envision one's own future)
Social Skills (Sociality, SNS literacy, how to interact with fans)
Mental Skills (Dealing with pressure, self-management)
The challenges modern athletes face, such as the risk of online backlash on social media and issues regarding second careers, are complex. “There are parts that overlap with my work as an artist, and I wish I had learned this since I was eight!” As Miyu Kano said, these are also universal skills for succeeding in society.
DAO members can also watch over this "human growth" of the players through reports and other means.
4. Toward a future where "support" becomes an "asset." A circular ecosystem
(🎥 Support that comes back to you? Explaining the surprising return model)
What makes this project groundbreaking is that “support doesn't end with the donation.”
Imagine that an academy player you supported is promoted to the top team in the future or transfers to a big overseas club. In that case, we are planning a mechanism to return a portion of the transfer fees or solidarity contribution fees that the club receives to DAO members in the form of tokens.
Supporters support academy players
Players grow and bring profit to the club
That profit is returned to the supporters
It is truly a case of “supporting your favorite” strengthening the club, and the results coming back to you. It is a challenge to create a sustainable and dream-filled circular model.
5. The DAO is a "theme park" that creates the future. Experience it with an admission ticket (token)
(🎥 Watch the video: Chairman Kawamori explains the "theme park concept")
Some of you may have felt that "Web3 and DAOs sound difficult..." That is why Chairman Kawamori compares this Avispa DAO to a “theme park.”
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Token = Admission Ticket (Passport)
By holding this, you can enter the "park" that is the DAO.
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Voting/Co-creation = Participating in attractions
You don't just watch; you decide the production of events and get involved in the operations yourself. The "Academy Co-Education Program supported by SMBC" is the latest "attraction."
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Interaction with players = Engagement with the cast
Enjoy exclusive member-only experiences, such as meet-and-greet events with the players you support.
It's not just about giving money and being done with it; by 'participating and having fun,' you are effectively supporting the players. Why not dive into this new world of entertainment yourself?
How to participate: Become a 'co-educator' with just one app
Why not join us in this experiment to create the future of Avispa Fukuoka? Participation is as simple as downloading the smartphone app 'FiNANCiE'.
▼ Join now and receive tokens
Enter the invitation code below to receive a gift of tokens that you can use in the Avispa DAO!
Invitation code: 94AJC6
👇 Download the app here
Download on the App Store (iOS)
Download on Google Play (Android)
Together with you, Avispa Fukuoka will create a 'new form of support for young players' and take on the challenge of realizing our dream of a 'world-class academy.' We look forward to seeing you in the Avispa DAO!