Bob Zonderwijk on MatchWornShirt’s NBA Debut with Chicago Bulls

MatchWornShirt (MWS), an innovative European-based live auction platform established in Amsterdam, has set a milestone by making its debut on the basketball court for the very first time.

MWS, renowned worldwide for revolutionizing the soccer sports memorabilia market, has joined forces with the Chicago Bulls as their ‘Official Digital Auction Partner’.

Fans will have the opportunity to bid on 10 jerseys worn by the Bulls during the 2024-2025 season, starting on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 10:00 AM CDT.

MatchWornShirt’s digital platform will soon feature additional jerseys and collectibles, such as warm-up gear, basketballs, and even nets.

From the Pitch to the Court

MatchWornShirt was founded in 2017 to connect fans and athletes through authenticity. Bob Zonderwijk, who also serves as Head of Marketing, and his brother Tim Zonderwijk are the co-founders.

The company gained attention by collaborating with soccer powerhouses such as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), as well as national organizations including the U.S. Soccer, the German Football Association, and the Dutch Football Association.

Fans can bid live in real-time on jerseys worn by their favorite players during the match on the platform. The authenticated item, often signed by the player, is given to the winner in premium packaging within days of the final whistle.

Basketball is about to receive the same real-time connection. Live bids will be available for fans to bid during select Bulls games this season, allowing them to turn every possession, dunk, and game-winning shot into a potential collectible moment.

Authenticity Meets Technology

What sets MatchWornShirt apart is its rigorous authentication process. Fabricks technology assures that every item is 100% authentic and traceable through multiple verification processes.

This process has made MWS a reliable source for collectors worldwide, as it ensures that every game-worn jersey has both emotional and historical value.

“MWS has always been about connecting fans to the moments and athletes that inspire them,” said Tijmen Zonderwijk, Founder of MatchWornShirt.

“Partnering with an iconic franchise like the Chicago Bulls marks an exciting new chapter for us, as we bring the same immersive experience we’ve perfected in soccer to basketball fans in the U.S. and beyond.”

Chicago Bulls: A Perfect Match

The Chicago Bulls, the most recognized and storied franchises in professional sports, make the ideal starting point for MatchWornShirt’s expansion into the NBA.

The Bulls can deepen their engagement with international fans and provide them with authentic, one-of-a-kind memorabilia through this partnership, which supports their global strategy.

“Teaming up with MatchWornShirt allows us to continue bringing Bulls fans closer to the game,” said Matt Kobe, Executive Vice President of Revenue & Strategy for the Bulls.

“This partnership gives our fans around the world the chance to own a piece of Bulls history and adds to our efforts to create legendary experiences and advance our international growth strategy.”

Expanding Across U.S. Sports

MatchWornShirt’s NBA debut follows a series of U.S. Partnerships, with the addition of agreements with the U.S. Soccer and the NWSL (NWSL).

The company’s move into basketball strengthens its aim of bridging global sports markets and connecting fans to their idols in new and meaningful ways. The Bulls’ agreement is only the beginning.

Over the next couple of months, MWS intends to forge partnerships similar to those with other NBA teams, expanding its presence in North America and reaffirming its position as the global authority in game-worn memorabilia.

Inside MatchWornShirt’s Vision: A Q&A with Co-Founder Bob Zonderwijk

To gain a deeper insight into MatchWornShirt’s mission, innovation, and future in the U.S., Heavy.com had a one-on-one conversation with Bob Zonderwijk, the Co-Founder and Head of Marketing.

Zonderwijk outlines the company’s global reputation, the NBA’s natural progression, and what fans can look forward to from MatchWornShirt’s expansion into basketball and beyond in the Q&A that follows.

1. MatchWornShirt has built a strong reputation across European football — what inspired the decision to expand into the NBA and the U.S. Sports market?

Starting with the US, it’s the holy grail of collectibles, the most mature consumer market. We often reference how, in an American 80s movie, a cool lawyer or banker has signed memorabilia in their office—a corner office with a signed baseball or something iconic. The US idolizes sporting heroes like no other, and Europeans can learn a great deal from that.

When we told our parents we were starting this business, they had questions—but also, why would someone want a shirt of a football (soccer) player? My dad, a huge football fan, gets it. The US is our holy grail in terms of the consumer market, and then the NBA. I’m a soccer fan, but the NBA is one of the sexiest leagues in the world. And starting with the Bulls, one of the most iconic sports brands, makes sense.

Perhaps their performance isn’t what it was in the golden days, but I think it will return. It all makes sense to us. There are numerous crossovers with our high-roller customers who are interested in soccer shirts, and they’re also requesting NBA merchandise. And this demand predominantly comes from Asia.

2. Why were the Chicago Bulls chosen as the first NBA team to partner with MWS?

It’s an iconic team. There are other great teams in the US, but for us, in terms of storytelling and bridging our existing nostalgic fans—the Europeans, the Asians, and others—to the NBA, the Bulls make perfect sense as the gateway. We’re starting with a collector base that’s currently mainly outside the US.

3. How did this multi-year partnership with the Bulls come together, and what makes it unique compared to previous collaborations in soccer?

It’s an entirely different sport, unique in its own right. In many ways it’s not comparable to soccer. The season has many more games, and the game is more intense. Players don’t have as many jerseys as in soccer; for example, Cristiano Ronaldo would have multiple shirts prepared for national team duties, which isn’t the case in the NBA (or NFL).

4. With the NBA being such a global brand, what opportunities does this new market present for MatchWornShirt?

What’s great about what we do and what we see in other sports as well, is that the NBA, and the Bulls as an example, have a truly global audience. Not everyone can travel to Chicago to attend a game every day. What we offer the fans is the closest you can get to being on the pitch or touching the player—the game-worn jersey you wore.

It’s the closest connection to your hero, whether you’re supporting the Bulls from Beijing, Mexico, or anywhere else. This creates a bridge between the clubs and fans who may not realize the extent of their overseas support. That’s also what our soccer partners told us: shirts will sell in Japan, the US, Africa, and everywhere.

5. Could you share any details on when additional NBA teams can expect to join the MWS platform?

This is always a tricky question. We maintain stringent guidelines on what we can announce and when. What I can confidently say is that there will be at least four NBA teams announced this calendar year.

It’s not a one-off; there will be more to come. I can’t be more specific just yet, because we don’t want to start on the wrong foot with our new partners.

6. MatchWornShirt’s live auction feature lets fans bid in real-time as games are happening — how does this enhance fan engagement compared to traditional memorabilia sales?

It’s mind‑blowing that you can get your hands on game‑use items, wait a few months, and then share a shaky iPhone photo of a second‑hand item. In the heat of the moment, if you’re a Bulls fan and you’re beating the Pistons in the dying seconds, being in the stadium, we’re convinced—based on our model—that people would pay four times as much if you could auction it live during the game. As days and months pass, it can become nostalgic again, but then you’d be talking about something truly unique, like a Michael Jordan jersey.

We believe fans should be able to put that emotion into the auction from the start of the game. It’s remarkable that in the US, a country miles ahead in stadium fan engagement, live in‑game auctions aren’t happening yet. We wondered seven years ago why this wasn’t possible, and today we’re on the path to being the first. For us, it’s very much about US fandom.

Can you walk us through what happens from the moment a fan wins a live auction to when the jersey arrives at their doorstep? At that moment, we’ll already have the shirt in our office, fully authenticated and cleaned, as Teresa briefly explained.

From there, you can choose to have the jersey framed, but we won’t make the decision for you. In conversations with dozens, if not thousands, of collectors, the split tends to be 50-50. Some purists prefer not to frame items because they want to be able to smell, touch, and handle them. And yes, it can have a bit of a scent—that’s normal. Others prefer it framed to suit a main-cave wall display.

If you don’t want framing, the jersey will be delivered to you within 24 hours in a premium box, heightening the anticipation as it travels with DHL, UPS, or FedEx. When you open it, you’ll see the shirt contains an NFC fabric chip. You can tap your phone to the chip to verify authenticity and pull up match data, player details, and other relevant information about that specific jersey. It will show that it’s authenticated by us, issued by Bulls, and worn by the designated player, etc.

That’s usually the first thing people check. And, as mentioned, the shirt is cleaned in a specific way but not washed—the way real collectors want to receive it.

7. What kind of feedback have you received from fans in Europe, and how do you think NBA fans will respond to this real-time experience?

Our feedback is that fans who live far from the stadium—for example, Premier League supporters with large followings in Asia and Africa—often can’t travel to games but still want to spend on their favorite players and teams.

We’ve ensured that people far from the stadium can buy a piece of their hero, know it’s authentic, and feel the game-day excitement, even when they’re thousands of miles away with friends. It allows them to feel like part of the game, and I think that’s a real game-changer.

8. MatchWornShirt has partnerships with global powerhouses like Chelsea, PSG, and Manchester United. How does working with U.S. sports organizations compare?

I believe the US is light-years ahead of any other global sport in many ways. It’s more commercial, bigger, and there’s more money—athletes earn more, and there are more hoops to jump through. Yet it’s also easier to pitch a new idea or revenue stream to an American franchise than to traditional soccer clubs, whose cultures are incredibly passionate and proud, plus a layer of bureaucracy can make things more complicated.

With the Chicago Bulls, it took only a couple of months to seal the deal, and they were the first. That shows a different mindset. The industry is, without a doubt, ten times bigger in the US, and the organizations are very professional. Still, there’s also a sense of collaboration—let’s work together and make the best deals for the clubs and the athletes. I think European franchises could learn from that.

9. How does the MWS model bridge the gap between global fans and the players they love?

Yeah, like I said, if you’re a fan and you don’t have courtside, usually you’re not even allowed to touch the players when you’re courtside—this is the closest you can get to your hero.

It’s an authentic piece, one-of-one, the closest you can get to your hero. That, I think, speaks for itself: it bridges the gap and levels the playing field for fans who aren’t in the stadium every game but are incredibly passionate from afar.

10. Do you see MWS eventually expanding into other American leagues such as the NFL, MLB, or NHL?

Yes, definitely in the future. For now, our focus is on the NBA and on soccer. We’ve already signed US soccer—the men’s and women’s teams are essential for our soccer fan base ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the US. We definitely want to venture into other sports, but we want to do it right, so for now we’re focusing on the NBA. The end goal is that, if you’re a multi-sport fan watching the All Blacks in rugby, Federer in tennis, a Bulls game, or PSG, you can buy all the jerseys of those players in one app live during the matches.

11. How does this NBA launch align with your overall vision for MatchWornShirt’s growth in North America?

I feel that for us it’s all about storytelling—selling emotion. We’ve had many conversations with people who say, ‘Please deliver the shirt to my mailbox, because I can’t explain to my partner why I spent 50 grand on a shirt.’ People are willing to pay for nostalgic brands or athletes; even if Cristiano Ronaldo isn’t at the top anymore, he’s a living legend, and that’s why you want to have him.

In that sense, the Bulls are almost too good to be true: the first NBA team with such a rich history to announce this with. It aligns with the strategy our Amsterdam headquarters has dreamt of—entering the US, doing it with a bank, with a big team, a storied franchise that everyone will feel nostalgic about.

12. What has been the most rewarding part of seeing MWS evolve from a European startup to an international brand?

It’s personally rewarding to focus on the consumers on our platform. If you check any auction, you’ll see the bidding history, the flags, and the real-time appetite for shirts.

I’m often glued to both the game and the auctions—the flags come in from all over the world, and it feels like we’ve become a truly global platform. We’ve shipped to over 140 countries; however, some destinations are still limited due to sanctions. It’s fantastic to see a cool item attract bids from 30 to 40 different nationalities.

When I first saw this, I thought, Wow, this is precisely what we envisioned: opening these items to a global crowd and showing our club partners how much fans are willing to spend and where they’re from. That’s always been the most rewarding, and I can’t wait to see what the first Bulls auction does.

13. As more teams join, will MWS look to include historical memorabilia or focus solely on live, game-worn items?

Authenticity is everything for us. The biggest challenge in the industry is the rise of fakes. Our model begins at kickoff, making it straightforward to authenticate the shirts—there’s plenty of footage for photo matching.

Authenticating a 1930s item, for example, is much more difficult. Nostalgia and storytelling are at the heart of what we do. We’ve started working with recently retired athletes who have extensive jersey collections—items they swapped, kept, or received from teammates—and we’re selling those, with the players adding their own stories.

Retired players often have more time and less pressure from a franchise’s media team, so genuine stories come through. We can even attach videos of the players explaining why a jersey is iconic and embed them in the NFC chip, so when you tap, the player appears and shares their story. We’ll do more of that, but 100% of what we do must be authentic; we will never auction items from private buyers because of the risk of undisclosed issues. We only work with direct franchises or trusted athletes.

14. Finally, if you could describe the MatchWornShirt experience for a first-time NBA fan in one sentence, what would it be?

Owning the moment. At the end of the day, that’s what we do—we sell emotion, the memory of an iconic moment for an athlete, a brand, or a game you’re crazy about. So, owning the moment—short and sweet.

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