DraftKings Preps its Reignmakers Product For NFL Season

DraftKings co-founder Matt Kalish and collectibles expert Chris Costa talked NFL Reignmakers tonight, reviewed gameplay mechanics and introduced for the first time a Reignmakers TV commercial on a YouTube stream. The duo touched on a number of topics, which are summarized below:

Onboarding

• Collectors will be able to claim a free starter pack to get their teams started. Starter packs will be available for claim beginning tomorrow.

Gameplay

• Similar to DraftKings' daily fantasy sports (DFS) product, Reignmakers gameplay will feature two modes: Classic (a mode which includes a full week's slate of games) and Showdown (where contests are focused on a singular NFL game).
• Contests will be restricted based on rarity tier. For example, in order to enter a Reignmakers (the most scarce) level contest, a player must enter a lineup containing two Reignmaker-tier player cards. Contests run at the higher tiers will feature larger prize pools and fewer players to compete against.
• There will be a "Franchise Score Leaderboard" where collectors can earn rewards based on snapshots throughout the season.
• Reignmakers will feature the same rewards programs that are offered in DraftKings' DFS products: Achievements (for example, a reward that is awarded based on the number of total touchdowns your player cards have scored throughout the season), Missions (for example, a player may enter a contest that matches a certain criteria this week in order to earn a reward), and Crowns (a rewards currency that can be used to claim merch, enter free contests, etc.).

Prizes

• There will be over $1 million in prizes up for grabs in each week of the NFL season.
• Contest entry will be free, but you must hold certain player cards to enter specific contests.
• DraftKings will host a Reignmakers live final during Week 15 of the NFL season in New Orleans, Louisiana. Qualifier contests will be run in the weeks leading up to the event. There will be 50 seats available and the winner will be crowned "World Champion of Reignmakers."

Future Utility

• Kalish mentioned during the stream that player cards will retain some utility in future seasons, although most contests will require player cards from the current year. However, there will be some ability to use older player cards to win prizes, contribute to the Franchise Score Leaderboard, and there are also plans for a burning mechanism that will allow collectors to upgrade other cards they hold by burning older cards.
• All drops to date have featured the Genesis set, and DraftKings will soon introduce a second "Elevate" set. The Elevate packs will be the first to feature the 2022 NFL rookie class.

Commercial

• Gary Vaynerchuk helped introduce the commercial, which Vaynerchuk's VaynerMedia helped produce. The commercial featured actor Kevin Hart along with NFL players Lamar Jackson, Stefon Diggs, and Ezekiel Elliott. Kalish mentioned it would be hitting the airwaves very soon.

If you missed tonight's stream, it is available on demand here.