Fanaply NFT Platform Hires Former StubHub Exec as Business Head

Emily Caron
·2 min read
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Sports and entertainment-focused NFT platform Fanaply has tapped Danielle Maged, the former global head of partnerships and business development at StubHub, to lead its business development as chief commercial officer.

Maged, who started working with Fanaply in an advisory capacity in 2021, will oversee the company’s growth, driving commercial and business strategy as it looks to scale in 2022. Further developing its platform and partnerships is also a priority for Fanaply, particularly in the sports and entertainment industries.

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“NFTs entering into the mainstream consciousness over the last year has had a huge impact on our business and the way we work with partners,” said Grant Dexter, Fanaply co-founder and CEO. “We used to have to start from scratch, explaining both the product and the value…. So far, the category has been fairly niche and high level, but I believe 2022 is the year that NFTs will become more accessible, and everyday fans will be able to experience firsthand the excitement and value they offer.”

Live events, including games, bring heightened demand, by their nature, Dexter added. “They offer the fan something that they cannot get anywhere else,” he said. “This means that the market for NFTs will continue to thrive as fans look for rewards and a sense of community for something they witnessed.”

NFT trading surpassed $10 billion in the third quarter of 2021, according to a report by analytics platform DappRadar, good for a 704% increase from Q2.

Fanaply was founded in 2018 and has since established itself as an environmentally conscious blockchain-based digital collectible platform—handling NFTs, from their creation to publishing and their eventual sale, for clients. The company has worked with athletes, including NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, as well as a number of sports teams and properties, like the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Misfits Gaming and Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.

“[Fanaply] has been at the forefront of creating fully integrated NFTs with partner IP, and marketing and selling to engaged fan bases,” Maged said. “We want to continue scaling the business and service the best brands in the world…. The potential is massive.”

The company’s ties to the sports industry go beyond its partnerships—the Dodgers’ Elysian Park Ventures co-led its seed funding round in 2021, alongside venture capital firm Alpha Edison.

Maged, who started her career with the NBA, has also held advisory and executive positions with Fox Networks Group, Madison Square Garden, National Geographic, ESPN International and RedBird Capital, in addition to her 14-year tenure at StubHub. She will be joined by former music and entertainment marketing executive Sam Huntington and former Golden State Warriors executive Holly Olstein Bernabe, who will both serve as VPs of business development.