In August 2024, the Partizan 3×3 basketball team (part of “JSD Partizan,” Serbia) signed a sponsorship and media partnership agreement with Meta Force, a leading player in the crypto industry. Meta Force became the General Sponsor of the club.

As part of the partnership, the basketball team changed its name to Partizan Meta Force. The team’s jerseys now feature a panther—a unique and recognizable logo of Meta Force. The sponsor’s logo might also appear on the basketball club’s digital products, such as NFTs.

Partnerships between sports teams and leaders in the crypto industry represent a new trend in the sports world. Meta Force, which connects more than 2 million users worldwide, sees great potential in partnering with Partizan Meta Force to promote 3×3 basketball in European and Asian markets. The new sponsor plans to use its resources and technological capabilities to popularize this sport.

3×3 basketball is a relatively young sport—it was officially recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) only in 2007. In 2020, it made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games as an Olympic sport.

Now, it attracts thousands of players and millions of spectators worldwide. Asian countries, for instance, are becoming major hubs for the sport’s growth. In China, for example, 3×3 basketball has gained immense popularity, with each major city having its own clubs competing in FIBA 3×3.

Meta Force is a decentralized metaverse that combines gaming virtual realities, an NFT marketplace, a social network, a DEX, and much more. According to the developers, users will enjoy a combination of augmented reality, play-to-earn, and RWA technologies, along with other possibilities offered by the Metaverse 2.0 standard.