Botev Plovdiv FC, Bulgaria’s oldest football club, has recently embraced Bitcoin as a valid payment method along with the layer 2 payment protocol the Lightning Network. The football club also joined NOSTR, a decentralised network protocol for a distributed social network system.
The adoption is regarded as a significant milestone in the crypto community as it further demonstrates Bitcoin’s growing acceptance in various sectors.
With immediate effect, fans can now use Bitcoin for peer-to-peer transactions at Botev Plovdiv FC’s fan shops and stands during matches in the top tier of the Bulgarian League, known as the Bulgarian Parva Liga. The club has additional plans in the works to expand Bitcoin payment options to include ticketing and its online store.
The club’s president, Anton Zingarevich, expressed his enthusiasm for this move and emphasised the potential of the Lightning Network. In a press release, he said that the club has foreseen Bitcoin payments becoming more common as the internet. The integration, he said, not only aligns with Botev Plovdiv’s vision but will offer “fans and stakeholders unparalleled convenience.”
This initiative became possible through a strategic partnership with BTCPayServer, a Bitcoin payment processor renowned for its open-source architecture, secure infrastructure, and competitive merchant fees. The hardware for processing Bitcoin payments was managed by CryptoDesk.bg, in collaboration with Bitcoinize.com, who supplied the Point of Sale (PoS) devices.
Nicolas Dorier, the founder of BTCPayServer, underscored the importance of local Bitcoin adoption and their commitment to supporting transformative projects like the one in Plovdiv.
George Manolov, Bitcoin Director at Botev Plovdiv FC, explained that the currency offers a universe of technological, social, and financial opportunities. He expressed the club’s enthusiasm to be at the forefront of innovation in the world of sports and harness the transformative potential of Bitcoin to elevate their club to unprecedented heights.
Being Bulgaria’s oldest football club, fans can anticipate more pioneering products and initiatives from Botev Plovdiv FC to come.
In addition to embracing Bitcoin, Botev Plovdiv FC has also given its online presence a significant overhaul. This involved updating the club’s official website, bringing English-language social media channels up to date, and creating an account on NOSTR, a decentralised protocol for social media platforms. As a result, fans can now stay updated with all things Plovdiv on NOSTR.
This move toward embracing Bitcoin and decentralised technologies is reminiscent of Real Bedford, a UK football club that was the world’s first to adopt Bitcoin. Peter McCormack, chairman of Real Bedford, shared his thoughts on the news from Bulgaria, emphasising the positive impact of this decision on the club’s success and Bitcoin’s wider adoption.
Peter McCormack has been leading the Bitcoin adoption efforts at Real Bedford since 2021 and also had discussions with Plovdiv before their decision to adopt Bitcoin. According to McCormack, the unique characteristics of Bitcoin act as a “cheat code” for life, and he is hosting a conference called “Cheat Code” in Bedford in Spring 2024.
McCormack told Cointelegraph that there is a huge amount of financial irresponsibility in football; therefore, Botev Plovdiv’s strategic move in adopting low-time preference Bitcoin standard means adding into their solid foundation. He anticipates that this move will encourage not only football clubs but also various sports teams to adopt the Bitcoin “cheat code.”
Meanwhile, fans attending Plovdiv’s home game against the second-ranked Lokomotiv Plovdiv will have the option to make payments using Bitcoin and Bitcoin Lightning. The club made this announcement on Bitcoin white paper day, both to commemorate the day and to emphasise their support for Bitcoin. This further demonstrates the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies within the world of sports.
Cryptocurrency’s adoption in various sectors is celebrated within the community. Lately, crypto is also seeing increasing adoption in betting, especially in online casinos and sportsbooks, with casino blogs all over the world full of crypto enthusiasts sharing their tips and tricks for online betting with cryptocurrencies.
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