The University of Michigan, Penn State, LSU, Baylor, the University of Memphis and the University of Nevada, Reno have launched branded fan-rewards programs through Uptop, a fan-engagement company using Avalanche blockchain infrastructure. Fans earn points through game attendance, partner-merchant purchases and athletics-content engagement, then redeem them for tickets, merchandise and exclusive experiences. The programs are designed to resemble conventional loyalty apps, with no wallet, seed phrase or gas fees required. Points remain confined to each school’s ecosystem and are not tradeable crypto tokens. Card linking enables qualifying purchases to generate points automatically without QR codes or receipt uploads. Uptop uses the programs to create first-party data on attendance, transactions and redemptions, giving athletic departments and sponsors more detailed ways to measure engagement and target fan segments. Uptop previously deployed its model with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, reporting a 21% increase in sponsor spending and growth in team-shop sales. LSU became the company’s first collegiate partner in 2025. Avalanche was selected for its scalability, low transaction costs and ability to keep crypto complexity behind the scenes. AVAX was priced at $10.37 on September 24, 2026, up 1.67% over 24 hours, while the initiative’s broader market impact remained uncertain.