Graduate Ann Arbor and MORE Team Up for University of Michigan Sports-inspired Digital Gallery
The first-of-its-kind installation will feature a Bored Ape Yacht Club collaboration with current Michigan athletes
Ann Arbor, Mich. - October 11, 2022 - Graduate Ann Arbor, part of the Graduate Hotels® collection, and MORE Management announced the launch of “VICTORS NFT'', a digital art gallery and marketplace featuring artwork inspired and created in partnership with current and former University of Michigan athletes, including Cade McNamara, Mazi Smith, and Zak Zinter. Beginning October 11, the exhibit will be on display in the lobby of Graduate Ann Arbor, marking one of the first college athlete driven web3 galleries to exist on a college campus.
“We are thrilled to partner with the creative and innovative team at MORE for this first-of-its-kind collaboration,” said Jason Nelson, Area General Manager, Graduate Ann Arbor. “The University of Michigan football program is beloved by the Ann Arbor community and we are excited to offer a new avenue for fans to engage with and support its players, both past and present.”
The exhibit’s six digital screens will feature artwork created by the in-house artists at MORE with direction and input from current and former University of Michigan athletes. The exhibit will features NFTs that mark the world’s first collaboration between the blue chip NFT collection, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and active student athletes, including quarterback Cade McNamara, defensive tackle Mazi Smith and offensive tackle Zak Zinter. Through this partnership, Graduate Ann Arbor and More will provide student athletes with an innovative way to profit that goes beyond standard name, image and likeness partnerships, allowing them to create and distribute their own art via a user-friendly medium that elevates their existing platform within the Michigan community and beyond.
“We are beyond excited to partner with the Graduate Ann Arbor bring this innovative project to Ann Arbor. From classic Michigan images to a blue chip NFT collab, this installation is a first in crypto and athlete marketing,” added Peter Klamka, President of MORE Management, LLC.
Opened in 2016, Graduate Ann Arbor is located steps from the University of Michigan’s campus, at the corner of Huron and State streets amid the bustle of the town’s best restaurants, shops and game day buzz. The 204-key hotel offers a communal gathering space for students, visitors and locals with Graduate’s signature all-day cafe concept, Poindexter, and the newly opened Graduate Food Hall, a digital food hall concept created in partnership with C3 (Creating Culinary Communities). Created for travelers who seek memory-making journeys, Graduate Hotels is a thoughfully crafted collection of hotels that reside in dynamic university-anchored cities across the country. Each property celebrates and commemorates the optimistic energy of its community, while offering an extended retreat to places that often play host to the best days of our lives.
“VICTORS NFT” is on display beginning Tuesday, October 11, 2022. For more informaton or to book a stay at Graduate Ann Arbor, visit www.graduatehotels.com/ann-arbor.
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Media Contacts
Graduate Hotels press@graduatehotels.com
More Management, LLC kate@morebrand.co
ABOUT GRADUATE HOTELS®
Graduate Hotels is a hand-crafted collection of hotels that reside in dynamic university-anchored towns in the U.S. and U.K. Each hotel pays homage to the heritage of its unique town through cultural nods to the local community. Launched in 2014, there are currently 30 hotels across the U.S., two U.K. properties, and an additional four hotels set to open by the end of 2023. Graduate Hotels is owned by Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners, a Nashville-based vertically integrated real estate developer, owner and operator, founded by Ben Weprin in 2008. For more information on Graduate Hotels, please visit www.graduatehotels.com.
ABOUT MORE MANAGEMENT
Based in Los Angeles, MORE Management, LLC (www.morebrand.co) develops and markets innovative cryptocurrency based products. The company builds and invests in projects at the intersection of crypto, celebrity and hospitality. Having owned, promoted, and invested in nightlife venues, pop up events, restaurants and a the world's first membership club beginning in 2015. The company has most recently become a trusted partner of some of the world’s most recognized celebrities in the creation and sale of digital artwork. The MORE token trades on Bilrex.
