The scent of the arena, the sweat on the fabric, and the history made in a single fast break—for sports fans, owning a piece of the game is the ultimate connection to their idols. While European football fans have long turned to MatchWornShirt (MWS) to secure kits straight off the backs of stars like Mo Salah or Erling Haaland, the platform is now officially crossing the Atlantic to take over the NBA.
The company recently reached a landmark milestone, signing a multi-year deal to become the Official Digital Auction Partner of the Chicago Bulls. This partnership—the first of its kind for MWS in the NBA—allows fans to bid on everything from game-worn jerseys and warm-up gear to game-used nets and basketballs, with items delivered in premium packaging within days of the final whistle.By leveraging cutting-edge blockchain technology and real-time auctions that begin at tip-off, MWS is closing the gap between the global collector and the hardwood.
I sat down with Bob Zonderwijk, Founder of MatchWornShirt, to discuss this historic entry into the U.S. market, the future of digital authentication, and why North America is the next great frontier for the “game-worn” experience.
Q&A With Bob Zonderwijk & Scoop B
In our deep-dive conversation, Zonderwijk pulls back the curtain on the strategic decision to lead their American expansion with the Chicago Bulls and how they are disrupting a legacy industry with their “Fabricks” technology. From real-time bidding that mirrors the pace of the shot clock to the long-term vision for the North American market, we explore how MatchWornShirt is democratizing access to high-end memorabilia while ensuring every thread is backed by the blockchain.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: MatchWornShirt has a deep-rooted history in European football. What made the Chicago Bulls the right partner to serve as your entry point into the NBA market?
Bob Zonderwijk: The USA is the most developed collector market in the world so it’s only natural to expand to the US and offer unique collectibles from one of the most well-known and strongest leagues globally – the NBA. And with the Chicago Bulls being one of the most iconic and recognized sports franchises in the world – their merchandising is so widely recognized – we couldn’t think of a better partner to enter the market with. An interesting fun fact: when we surveyed our current bidder base on what else they wanted besides the sports we already offered, the NBA was on top of the list with very high demand from Asia – one of our most premium bidder bases. Unlocking this global audience through our partnership with the Chicago Bulls enables millions of fans to get an authentic jersey worn on the court. A true win-win.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Memorabilia is often seen as a high-end luxury market. How is MWS making the ‘game-worn’ experience more accessible to the everyday fan in Charlotte, Portland and Chicago?
Bob Zonderwijk: We strongly believe in creating experiences that bring millions of fans closer to the game they are passionate about. And connecting with a global fan base in innovative ways. This is why we offer a regular cadence of team-based events and auctions, and not just focusing on one player. This allows fans of all levels, even if they don’t have thousands of dollars to spend, to have a shot at winning an authentic piece of the action.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: The digital auction space is competitive. What specific proprietary technology or authentication processes does MWS use to ensure fans are getting a truly 1-of-1 piece of history?
Bob Zonderwijk: Technology is at the forefront of what we do, and have been doing since MWS started. Sports is emotion and fans live in the moment, which makes the real-time bidding on our digital platform super unique. Our game worn jerseys offered are available, live from tip off, corresponding directly to what happens on the court and bringing fans even closer to the action, making the experience more immersive.
In addition to real time bidding, we also created Fabricks – our proprietary technology. This is the first digital certificate of authenticity, powered by an NFC chip. We felt it was time to change the status quo – which normally is a paper certificate signed by an auction house CEO, or the owner of a memorabilia item confirming its authenticity – but none of this is future proof. Therefore, we developed Fabricks – the most advanced authentication technology in the world. When you win one of our auctions – the jersey will have a Fabricks chip storing stats of the game – date, player, score etc. All of this information lives forever on the NFC chip and will always be traceable and enriched with endless data points. The data will be stored in the blockchain so in case of future transfer of ownership, both the buyer and seller can be assured of the authenticity without human interference.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: With the upcoming Chicago vs. Lakers game, the spotlight is massive. Can fans expect any unique activations or specific jersey drops tied to these high-profile matchups?
Bob Zonderwijk: This is definitely the long-term vision. Since we are new to the USA with our game worn jersey proposition, we are focusing on ensuring that we optimize this experience for our global fanbase first, and will look to enrich the experience with more drops and offers towards the next season.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: With three NBA teams already on board, what is the long-term vision for MWS in the North American sports landscape over the next 12 to 24 months?Bob Zonderwijk: Our mission is to offer the most authentic and premium memorabilia to fans and collectors all over the world. At the moment, we are focused on growing our presence in the US through soccer and basketball – but we are definitely exploring more opportunities to offer authentic game worn memorabilia in the US, especially given its strong sports and collector culture. And needless to say, the FIFA World Cup this summer will also be a big one for us, which serves as a great bridge from our founding and leading position in global soccer, into North America. We can’t disclose just yet what we have planned but we can promise it will be big!
The Final Buzzer
As the lines between digital technology and physical history continue to blur, MatchWornShirt is positioning itself as the gold standard for authenticity. By moving away from easily forged paper certificates and toward permanent, data-rich NFC chips, Zonderwijk and his team are ensuring that a fan’s investment is protected for generations.
With the NBA season in full swing and the FIFA World Cup appearing on the horizon, the bridge between international fandom and American sports has never been shorter. For the kid in Chicago or the collector in Asia, the chance to own a piece of history isn’t just a luxury anymore—it’s just one bid away.
