The Cleveland Cavaliers launched their new loyalty program, Cavs Rewards, in partnership with Uptop. Powered by Avalanche, Cavs Rewards is a first-of-its-kind fan engagement program designed to bring fans unforgettable rewards and connect businesses in Cleveland with the Cavs community. 

An Industry First in Professional Sports 

Uptop’s white-labeled solution delivers a sports industry-first: an open-loop rewards system that allows a team or league’s sponsors to participate directly in the fan loyalty program. Cavs Rewards models successful practices leveraged in the airline industry, where connected businesses are invited to distribute loyalty points to fans when they make purchases with the brand. Historically, sports brands have primarily relied on visual advertisements to generate impressions. Transaction-based rewards, however, can provide brands with detailed data on fan spending, offering high-fidelity conversion and attribution insights.

A Deeper Look at how it works 

Link a Payment Card: Fans sign up for a free Uptop account and link their existing debit or credit card to the program.‍

Inline image from: Uptop Leverages Avalanche to Transform Fan Loyalty

‍Earn Points Through Purchases

• In-Store: Shop at participating partner locations using the linked card.

• Online: Make purchases on partner websites with the linked card.

• Specific Products: Purchase eligible products featured in the app and scan receipts through the Uptop experience.

• Refer Friends: Fans receive bonus points for every person who signs up using their personal referral link.

As fans accumulate points, they can redeem them for a variety of exciting rewards, such as:

• Game Day Tickets

• Exclusive VIP Experiences

• Official Merchandise

• Collectible Memorabilia

• Digital Collectibles

Inline image from: Uptop Leverages Avalanche to Transform Fan Loyalty

“We’re thrilled Uptop chose Avalanche as the network to launch their loyalty program,” said Jake Cvengros, Sr. Business Development Associate from Ava Labs. “Cavs Rewards is a perfect example of how blockchain technology can elevate everyday experiences and allow an organization to meet their community where they are.”

Next-Generation Fan Engagement

Avalanche's scalable network complements Uptop's mission to bridge the gap between brands and fans through immersive, community-first rewards. Cavs Rewards participants will earn on-chain achievement badges via Avalanche, which will recognize various tiers of fandom. These badges are exclusively attainable by accumulating points through Uptop's rewards program. A fan profile represents proof of fandom, which not only gamifies the fan experience but introduces users to the tangible benefits of blockchain technology. 

Uptop aims to onboard millions of sports fans through team partnerships and provide users with on-chain wallets. Initially centered on profile badges and proof of fandom, the platform’s blockchain capabilities will include features like proof of engagement tokens for attending events and interacting on social media. Uptop also plans to launch a permissioned Layer 1 blockchain, The Uptop Network, on Avalanche to manage loyalty points ledgers and offer greater interoperability. This initiative establishes a unified platform that brings together teams, leagues, brands, and fans, redefining how fandom is valued and tokenized as a cultural asset.

To get started using Cavs Rewards through Uptop, visit the app here.

About UPTOP

Uptop is an open-loop rewards platform that is transforming fan engagement in sports by adapting the very successful model used in the airline industry. Uptop enables sports teams to turn fan loyalty into an asset by selling branded points to partner businesses. Fans earn their team’s points when shopping at partner locations such as grocery stores, quick-service restaurants (QSRs), and gas stations and redeem them for tickets, merchandise, experiences, and more. Uptop’s platform also awards fans digital badges representing status tiers powered by Avalanche. Beyond generating a previously untapped source of partnership revenue, sports teams tap Uptop for year-round fan engagement and a robust view into spend data across channels and partners. For more information, please visit Uptop.xyz.

About Avalanche Blockchain Network

Avalanche is a high-performance blockchain platform designed for builders who need to scale. Engineered with a revolutionary three-part Layer 1 (L1) architecture, Avalanche is anchored by its Avalanche Consensus Mechanism, ensuring near-instant finality for transactions. The platform also features an open-source Layer 0 (L0) framework, enabling the seamless creation of interoperable Layer 1 blockchains with high throughput on both public and private networks.

Supported by a global community of developers and validators, Avalanche offers a fast, low-cost environment for building the next generation of decentralized applications (dApps). With its unique blend of speed, flexibility, and scalability, Avalanche is the preferred choice for innovators pushing the boundaries of blockchain technology.

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