Bulgaria’s oldest football club, Botev Plovdiv FC, has made a significant step towards embracing the world of cryptocurrencies by adopting Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments. The club has also joined the decentralized protocol, Nostr, in an effort to stay at the forefront of technological innovations in the sports industry.
Starting immediately, fans attending matches in the top-flight Bulgarian Parva Liga will be able to use Bitcoin for peer-to-peer payments at Botev Plovdiv FC’s fan shops and stands. The club is also considering expanding Bitcoin payments to ticketing and its online store, offering fans greater convenience and flexibility in their transactions.
Anton Zingarevich, the president of Botev Plovdiv FC, expressed his excitement about this move, emphasizing the potential of the Lightning Network. He believes that Bitcoin payments will become as ubiquitous as the internet in our daily lives and sees this integration as a way to offer fans and stakeholders unparalleled convenience.
This implementation became a reality through a collaboration with BTCPay Server, a renowned Bitcoin payment processor known for its open-source architecture, secure infrastructure, and low merchant fees. The payment hardware was provided by CryptoDesk.bg, in partnership with Bitcoinize.com, who supplied the point-of-sale devices necessary for conducting Bitcoin transactions.
Nicolas Dorier, the founder of BTCPay Server, stressed the importance of local Bitcoin adoption and expressed his commitment to supporting transformative initiatives like the one undertaken by Botev Plovdiv FC. He believes that embracing Bitcoin opens up a vast array of technological, social, and financial opportunities.
George Manolov, the Bitcoin director at Botev Plovdiv FC, also highlighted the benefits of Bitcoin adoption, stating that it offers a universe of possibilities. As the oldest football club in Bulgaria, they aim to harness the transformative energy of Bitcoin and other innovations to take their club to unprecedented heights. Fans can look forward to pioneering products and initiatives from the club in the future.
In addition to integrating Bitcoin payments, Botev Plovdiv FC has revamped its online presence by updating its official website, bringing its English social media channels up to speed, and joining Nostr, a decentralized protocol that provides censorship-resistant social media. This demonstrates the club’s commitment to embracing decentralized technologies and staying ahead of the curve in terms of digital innovation.
This move follows in the footsteps of Real Bedford, a UK-based football club that became the world’s first football club to adopt Bitcoin. Peter McCormack, the chairman of Real Bedford, commended Botev Plovdiv FC for embracing Bitcoin and its cheat code-like advantages. He believes that this adoption not only brings success to the club but also raises awareness about Bitcoin on a larger scale.
McCormack has integrated Bitcoin into Real Bedford since 2021 and had discussions with Plovdiv before they made their decision to adopt Bitcoin. He views the unique characteristics of Bitcoin as a cheat code for life and is hosting a conference called “Cheat Code” in Bedford in Spring 2024. McCormack believes that adopting a low-time preference Bitcoin standard can provide solid foundations for football clubs, combating the plague of financial irresponsibility that plagues the industry.
As part of their commitment to Bitcoin, Botev Plovdiv FC announced that fans attending their home game against the second-placed team Lokomotiv Plovdiv will be able to pay using Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. This announcement was made on Bitcoin white paper day, further highlighting the club’s dedication to supporting Bitcoin and embracing its potential.
In conclusion, Botev Plovdiv FC’s decision to adopt Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments, as well as join the Nostr decentralized protocol, is a significant step towards embracing cryptocurrencies and staying ahead of the curve in the sports industry. By offering Bitcoin payments to fans and revamping their online presence, the club is demonstrating its commitment to innovation and providing unparalleled convenience to its stakeholders.
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