Serena Williams joins $4.3 billion blockchain-based fantasy soccer game Sorare as new board advisor

Former World No. 1 Serena Williams has signed up to be the board advisor for blockchain-based fantasy soccer game Sorare. The company is valued at around $4.3 billion, having received a whopping $680 million in funding last September.

"Excited to join Sorare as a Board Advisor. Find out more on how we plan to shape the future of Web3 and sports fandom," Williams wrote on Instagram.

Sorare is a fantasy soccer game which allows its users to purchase NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) of renowned football players and field them in their respective fantasy leagues or trade them with other users.

In a statement, Sorare said Williams would help develop the brand's relationship with athletes around the world and also aid in their expansion into women's sports.

In a recent interview with Forbes, Williams revealed that it was her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who introduced her to Sorare. She claimed that the fantasy soccer game was much more than just "collectibles" as it helped in delivering "meaningful interactions" between its users and football players.

The 23-time Slam champion also highlighted that she "pushed" Nicolas Julia, the CEO of Sorare, to start a fantasy tennis game one day.

Serena Williams at the Australian Open 2021 Serena Williams at the Wimbledon Championships

“I actually was introduced to Sorare through my husband. Sorare does more than just collectibles. They deliver meaningful interactions between users and their favorite teams or players, which I thought was different," said Williams.

“I pushed [Sorare CEO] Nicolas for tennis since the day I met him...When we think of web3 and we think of crypto: that’s going to be the biggest space for the next several years in terms of growth," added the 23-time Grand Slam winner.

Interestingly, Williams and her four-year-old daughter Olympia are co-owners of a Los Angeles–based women’s football team called Angel City.

Serena Williams not part of Australian Open for first time since 2018

Serena Williams was last seen on the court at the Wimbledon Championships, where she unfortunately injured her leg.

In a statement issued shortly before the Australian Open, the 40-year-old claimed that she was not where she needed to be physically and thus decided to withdraw from the Grand Slam.

"While this is never an easy decision to make, I am not where I need to be physically to compete. Melbourne is one of my favorite cities to visit and I look forward to playing at the AO every year. I will miss seeing the fans, but am excited to return and compete at my highest level," said Williams.

The American is not part of the draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2018. Williams has won the season's first Major on six occasions, with her last Grand Slam title also coming in Melbourne in 2017.