- Nedbank, sponsors of the Nedbank Golf Challenge tournament, will extend the competition to the Africarare (Ubuntuland) metaverse
- Golf will not only bring the fans closer to web3 but will also attract the corporate world closer to web3 adoption
Nedbank recently made news when they entered the African Metaverse, Ubuntuland’s Africarare. We pondered what exactly a pan-African financial services group would be doing in the virtual land and got some answers from Nedbank. Now, there are the first signs of what all those words mean. Nedbank, sponsors of the Nedbank Golf Challenge tournament, which turns 41 years old, will extend the competition to the Africarare (Ubuntuland) metaverse.
The Nedbank Golf Challenge
The Nedbank Golf Challenge is a popular golf tournament previously known as the million-dollar challenge. It was established in 1981. It gained prestigious European Tour status in 2013. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is an invitational tournament that has up to 72 players who are chosen to compete. Largely, South African legend Gary Player created the tournament.
Past winners include prestigious names such as former world number ones Ernie Els (South Africa), Nick Price (Zimbabwe) and Colin Montgomerie (Scotland). Other noteworthy winners include Retief Goosen, Mark McNulty and Lee Westwood. The competition is normally held towards the end of the year, and the 2022 edition will run from the 10th to the 13th of November after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
Golf in Africarare metaverse
This year Nedbank will bring the Nedbank Golf Challenge to the metaverse. Alongside the tournament, Nedbank will host metaverse-based golfing and other events in the Africarare Ubuntuland. The metaverse-based activities will run for the full week of the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Nedbank is pulling out all the stops. In the Nedbank village, visitors can get help with their golf swing, participate in a treasure hunt with golfing themes, take part in trivia quizzes or enjoy the Nedbank, which will be live-streamed into the metaverse while having a drink at the bar. They are gunning for a truly immersive experience for those who choose to join them.
This is not just for metaverse and web 3 enthusiasts; golf fans are being catered to. They will also screen a special documentary showcasing the 40-year history of the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Streaming will also include behind-the-scenes content from the Nedbank Golf Challenge and other related items of interest.
Read: Decentralized Finance how its shaping Africa
Sport as a gateway to the metaverse
We recently noted the excitement in the web3 world as the biggest sporting event in the world, the FIFA men’s world cup, prepares for its 18th edition in Qatar on the 21st of November. As we can see, web3 isn’t limiting itself to just one sport. Sport is a very important gateway for the adoption of many concepts into the world. The European Union initiated the UEFA Champions League football competition to help foster European inclusivity.
If a continental block that includes some of the world’s most powerful nations can leverage sport to improve adoption, new technology can certainly do the same. Sport is very popular, and golf is one of the most popular sports in the world. Golf also enjoys a lot of corporate support and sponsorship. So golf will not only bring golf fans closer to web3 adoption but will also bring the corporate world closer to web3 adoption.
To get in on the action from anywhere in the world, users can go to Africarare.io to access Africarare Ubuntuland. You can head to Nedbank village to experience all the sights and sounds. Nedbank will also provide performances from artists to help non-golf fans enjoy the event a little more. This is an interesting innovation, and a lot could be learnt from it and adapted to other use cases beyond sport.