Barcelona auctions NFT of iconic Cruyff goal for $693,000

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. fungible / ˈfʌn dʒə bəl / (adj.) – can be exchanged or replaced with something of the same value
    Example:

    Products are fungible because you can exchange them for money.


  2. leave (one’s) mark / liv mɑrk / (idiom) – to do something that can be remembered by people, usually because it’s important or meaningful
    Example:

    She left her mark on me as a great aunt because she took care of me like I’m her own daughter.


  3. pay down / peɪ daʊn / (phrasal v.) – to pay a debt or an amount that one owes little by little
    Example:

    I need to pay down the tuition fee I owe this year so I can enroll for the next school year.


  4. one of a kind / wʌn ʌv ə kaɪnd / (idiom) – different from others
    Example:

    This carrot ice cream is one of a kind! I’ve never tried anything like this before.


  5. booming / ˈbu mɪŋ / (adj.) – growing fast
    Example:

    His business is booming. He just opened three new branches of his restaurant in the last two months.


Article

Read the text below.

Barcelona has auctioned off a digital art piece depicting an iconic goal by Johan Cruyff for $693,000 as it seeks new revenues to battle its way out of massive debt, the Spanish club said.


Barcelona said that the auction run by Sotheby’s in New York for the club’s first NFT, or non-fungible token, closed at $550,000 on July 29. The auctioneer’s fees increased the final sale price to $693,000.


The art piece depicts Cruyff’s memorable goal for the Netherlands from 1973 when he greatly soared through the air with his leg outstretched to score. In the image, Cruyff appears to be dipped in gold. The NFT is called “In a Way, Immortal,” inspired by a quote by Cruyff, who left his mark as both a player and coach at Barcelona.


Barcelona has been searching for new forms of revenue as it struggles to pay down 1 billion euros ($1 billion) of debt. That has included selling Camp Nou’s naming rights to the Spotify audio-streaming service and recently selling off 25% of its Spanish league television rights for 25 years.


An NFT is a one-of-a-kind digital image that cannot be copied. There is a booming market for collectors and artists interested in this form of digital art.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • NFTs are digital products such as drawings, music, videos, etc. that can’t be copied. When you buy one, it means that you will be one of the few in the world who own it. Would you be interested to invest in a one-of-a-kind digital product? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • According to the article, the number of collectors and artists interested in NFT is booming. Would you consider NFTs as valuable art like traditional paintings, sculptures, etc.? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Barcelona was able to sell the art piece showing the iconic goal of Johan Cruyff for $693,000. If you could own an artwork of an iconic moment in history, which would you choose? Why? Discuss.
  • What moment of your life would you like to preserve through art? In which form of art would you like it to be preserved (ex. sculpture, painting)? Why? Discuss.