Welcome and Some Really Important Stuff You Need To Know

Welcome to FTBA (Fitba), the Fan Platform for Fans of Scottish Football. 'Ach, no' another one' we hear you say, but wait FTBA is different to the other sites, blogs and social media accounts you've checked out and maybe still use. How so? Well, first off, this is a community of like minded Scottish football fans who love football content and love to talk about football. All football.

On FTBA you'll get access to all the biggest news and happenings in Scottish football and beyond because, let's face it, we've all got at least 3 teams we support and we all have an opinion on the comings and goings of football in England, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and at International level. You'll also get access to the best football related content from social media, whether it's last night's incredible goal, tekkers videos or someone making a right fanny of his or herself with a ball.

But beyond that, FTBA is about giving you a voice and giving you access to the names and events you just don't get anywhere. You see, the team behind FTBA have umpteen years of experience in football and in football media and we've got access to the legends, the current players, the managers, the pundits, even the refs and we give you access to them, special events and money can't buy experiences via Web3.

But we want YOU involved. We'll have plenty of participation opportunities for you, the fans, from votes and polls to missions, contests, predictors and AMAs (Ask Me Anythings) with current and former players and managers. We've got the FTBA Fan Cam, where you can record and upload your pre-match predictions, in-game reactions and post-match views, the best/funniest of which we'll share on FTBA and our social channels. And we'll give you the chance to take part in Live Watchalongs, Podcasts and more.

FTBA is Scottish Football's first Web3 platform, leveraging blockchain technology and tokenisation. 'Haud on a minute, isn't that......?' We hear you say. Well, whatever you were going to say it is, it isn't. Let's dispel the myths.

You can read on or watch this animated video here. You can also find out about Blockchain here.

Tokenisation isn't:

  • A scam.
  • Shite.
  • Going to lose you money.

Tokenisation is:

  • An incredible way to get access to the the biggest names and best happenings in Scottish football.
  • A way for you to be a part of the football conversation.
  • A way for you to experience things no-one else on the planet can or will experience.

FTBA Tokens aren't:

  • An investment opportunity or a way to make money.
  • Block, Doge, Ethereum, Chillis or any of the other cryptocurrencies.
  • Volatile and at the mercy of market factors, speculators and Elon Musk Tweets.
  • For speculators and the 'get rich quick' brigade. You can't buy and sell them on FTBA, only buy and use them for great, exclusive content, rewards, experiences and Digital Collectables (NFTs).

FTBA Tokens are:

  • Bought on our own, standalone marketplace - actually, it's more of a shop - with prices set by us. It doesn't cost you £X one day to buy FTBA Tokens and £Y the next.
  • A form of cryptocurrency in that your GBP will be exchanged for a digital currency BUT the FTBA Token is NOT linked to external factors which cause actual cryptocurrencies to fluctuate. FTBA Tokens are more akin to a gift card/voucher than the cryptocurrencies which can go up and down like a fiddler's elbow in value.
  • Solely for use on the FTBA platform, to have your say, to tell us what you like, to get premium access and to buy things like Collectables. More on them later.
  • Fungible, which means they can be exchanged for something.
  • Are available to buy in, and only in, the FTBA Shop, via ad hoc purchases or subscriptions BUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY ANY FTBA TOKENS. How so? Well, we give you Tokens just for signing up and you can earn FTBA Tokens just for doing what you signed up to do anyway.....

You Can Earn FTBA Tokens simply by:

  • Engaging with the content we put out. Share it and we'll reward you with FTBA Tokens.
  • Participating. We love User Generated Content and we wholeheartedly encourage you to generate content by taking part in Votes and Ideation Missions, sharing your own thoughts and ideas, putting forward Proposals, joining Spaces (Groups) and creating your own and commenting on content. Not everything will earn you FTBA Tokens but loads of them will, and we also reward the most active members of the platform and give you opportunities to WIN FTBA Tokens.
  • Inviting friends onto FTBA.

You Don't Need to Have Any Tokens:

  • Some our content is Premium and accessible only by Token Holders, Subscribers or NFT holders, but lots of it is freely available to anyone who is signed up to FTBA and some of it is even freely available to view to everyone, whether they're signed up or not.

You Can Buy Tokens:

  • Via ad hoc purchases or subscription but we stress;
  • Although FTBA Tokens can't be traded and aren't an investment or securities product they are still technically a form of cryptocurrency and you should only buy or subscribe if you can afford to do so and if you are going to use and get value (enjoyment) from them. This is meant to be fun.

You Cannot Sell FTBA Tokens on FTBA or on any other Blockchain Marketplace. They can only be used to gain access, participate and to buy NFTs on FTBA.

Your Can Use Tokens:

  • To 'Boost' the content you like. A 'Boots' is basically a 'like' but turbopowered. When you 'like' something on social media that 'like' is a one and done and is the same whether you think content is ok or if it's amazing. With FTBA's 'Boost' you can tell us just how much you like the content by using FTBA Tokens to 'Boost' it. The more Tokens you use the more you love the content. Don't go daft here. But this helps us understand what content is really relevant to you and helps us make sure we don't put any shite out. You don't have to 'Boost' anything, even if you love it.
  • To access Premium and Exclusive Content, such as podcasts, Watchalongs, match centres, Ask Me Anythings with footballing legends and current players and loads more, though many of these will also be totally free to enjoy.
  • To take part in Ideation Missions, Votings, Proposals and contests etc
  • To buy Collectables. More on them later.

Tokens Are Like FIFA Coins and Points:

  • You can buy or earn and redeem to make your FTBA experience better, just like FIFA Coins and Points can give you a better team and better playing experience.

FTBA Digital Collectables (NFTs)

Ok, so we've mentioned NFTs a couple of times so it's important we now tell you about them. We call them Digital Collectables but they are, in reality, NFTs. Some of you will have heard of NFTs and be wary of them, some of you will have heard of them and love them and others will not have a clue about them. Don't worry. Many don't because they're still a relatively new thing. NFTs are Non-Fungible Tokens. Non-Fungible means something is unique and can't be replaced. If you had a 1 of 1 (one of a kind) you would not be able to replace that with something the same. You swap an NFT for a different NFT but it would not be the same NFT. Think of the Mona Lisa. There's only one of it. You could swap it for a Banksy but you'd never have that Mona Lisa again. It's gone.

  • Are called Digital Collectables by us for a reason. Remember Panini Sticker Albums and other Trading Cards? Great, our Digital Collectables (NFTs) are the digital version of them except on your device. You don't need to carry about a sticker album to show your friends, your 'album' is your FTBA account on your phone, tablet or laptop. These are purely for fun, for surprises and for bragging rights. Build your collections just as you would your stickers, whether with individual purchases or randomised packs.
  • Are minted on our standalone Blockchain and authenticated as unique or limited edition. They are, at heart, collectables; Rare works of digital art or jazzed up one of a kind videos of a legend's first goal, digitally signed by the player and typically with other money can't buy benefits included, such as meet and greet with the artist, a signed match worn shirt, stadium tour and lunch with the footballing legend, for example.
  • Can only be minted on the Blockchain. Why? For proof of authentication and ownership. You see Blockchain creates smart contracts instantly which prove a Collectable or NFT is legit, is scarce and is owned by you. You simply can't do it any other way.
  • Can be unlocked using FTBA Tokens OR bought with your debit/credit card at fixed price!
  • Are for FUN not investing and speculating. Some NFTs have sold for crazy money. An NFT of the first tweet by Jack Dorsey (Founder of Twitter) and thus the first ever tweet sold for $2.9m. A one-of-a-kind but bog standard and dull as dishwater NFT of Erling Haaland sold at auction for more than $600K in January 2022. These NFTs are bought by minted collectors, superfans and speculators, typically as an investment and as such NFTs carry the same risk as any collectors item or investment - you may lose money on them. But if you think Collecatbles are a way to get rich quick then FTBA Collectables aren't for you. We want real Scottish Football Fans only. Not speculators who have no interest in the game, just profiteering.
  • Are a mix of one-of-a-kind and limited edition collectables but these are intended only to be fun, like collecting bottle tops. There is NO AUCTION. We set the price and you know exactly what you will be paying to get the NFT you want.
  • We sell them as Collectable Subscriptions where you will get a randomised pack of digital art inspirations of stars of Scottish Football past and present on a monthly basis, which is a bit like your Panini sticker packs, where there's an excitement around who will be in your pack! None of them will be stupid money prices because we want as many people as possible to enjoy FTBA Collectbles of Scottish Football Legends and players and managers from afar who've had a big impact on Scottish Football.
  • Every couple of months we'll drop very limited edition 'Official' Player collections, featuring Stars, Legends and Icons of Scottish Football. These will be unique in every sense and include Digital Art, Original Images, 3D, Hologram and Lenticular Images and they'll come with added exclusive features and exciting bonuses. Whether the Randomised Packs or the Official collections, we're making them safe, affordable and fun. They cannot be traded on FTBA. They are at set prices which will never fluctuate and there are no hidden or Gas Fees.
  • But we stress, because we have to:
  • NFTs are one-of-a-kind or limited edition digital collectables and as such should be treated the same as any purchase or investment in that you should only buy them if you can afford to. If you intend to buy FTBA Collectables as investment products with a view to reselling them in future (via the Ethereum Bridge to a third party wallet and auction site) you should only do so with the awareness that you may lose money on them.
  • But guys, do this for fun, not for crazy stuff, right?

You Can Get FTBA Collectables for Free!

  • Yeah you can! You can earn Collectables, you can win Collectables and we will even randomly give out Collectables on an ad hoc basis.
  • You can use the Tokens you EARN or WIN to buy Collectabless
  • Like the Tokens, you DO NOT NEED TO SPEND A PENNY to enjoy the benefits of the FTBA fan platform.

Green Credentials

Minting on the blockchain uses up energy and you may have heard that it uses a lot of energy. In most cases it does. Mint on OpenSea and you're using a fair amount of energy. We know that many of you, hopefully most of you, are mindful of energy consumption and being as planet friendly and sustainable as possible. We are too. That's why our choice of technology partner was very important.

The mainstream Blockchain platforms are PoW (Proof of Work) platforms and they use up a lot of energy. Liquidi.Team, the guys we work with, are a PoA (Proof of Authority) platform, a consensus mechanism and as such use up as much energy as any other application, such as server hosting, so is practically carbon neutral. So right of the bat the FTBA platform is more energy efficient that other Blockchain platforms. What those guys also do is overcompensate their CO2 footprint with a german company called Deutim, who you can check out at www.deutim.de. (Liquidi.Team are German company who work with the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Boston Celtics superstar Dennis Schroder). This means that the FTBA platform is essentially Carbon Neutral, which is a great thing to be able to tell you. Suffice to say that FTBA are always looking to be as energy efficient as possible.

Have Fun

Our overriding objective is to give you a place to talk about Scottish Football and all Football, to have a voice, to create, collaborate and participate and to have fun. We're here to help you have that fun. We're here to help and if you need clarification of any of the millions of things in this page email support@ftba.fan-platform.com

Have fun!