Source: SmartCompany I first heard the term ‘degen’ when I fell into online poker. It’s short for ‘degenerate’, but some younger players, with cynicism and irony sharpened by a lifetime of unrestricted internet access, wear ‘degen’ with sense of pride. Degens put in the time. They commit themselves to the cause, even when it costs them. Regular players might gloat about their big hands. Broadcasting the bad beats and major losses? Trading the financial hit for community clout? That’s the mark of a true degen.
Although I was a habitual player, spending late nights and early mornings grinding on the micro-stakes tables, neither my pockets nor my skills were ever deep enough to truly reach degen status. I thought I left them behind when I finally logged off.
Then I attended NFT Fest — where major players in Australian business and commerce stood alongside self-described web3 degens.
Both parties professed their commitment to the NFT space. However, the shit-posting irony of the degens in attendance posed a stark contrast to the pragmatism offered by industry leaders. Sports leaders keep the faith in NFT projects
For SmartCompany , I visited Thursday afternoon’s NFT Fest sessions at the Alex Theatre in St Kilda, Melbourne. Unlike recent NFT events held abroad, participants filled the venue. I watched my step as I made my way through the crowded foyer, careful not to tread on anyone’s feet; among a sea of polished oxfords and box-fresh Jordans, one attendee stood barefoot. Near the theatre door, I found eight furry paws, belonging to a pair of real-life Samoyed dogs. (Samoyedcoin, a “premier community, dog money, & ambassador of the Solana ecosystem” sponsored the event.)
As dogs and degens mingled in the foyer, representatives from Australia’s top sporting codes discussed the future of their web3 integrations. The AFL, NRL, Cricket Australia, and the Australian Open are now deep in the space, with the latter on Thursday confirming holders of its AO Art Ball NFT collection will be granted a week-long double pass to next year’s event. The announcement was surely a boon for attendees who snapped up some of the 6776 […]
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