Funko has collaborated with Droppp to bring Bob Ross NFTs for fans of the beloved painter. Series 1 of Bob Ross Digital Pop!™ NFTs will drop on December 21 which features 2 variants. The Standard Pack (5 pops) will be selling for $9.99 while the Premium Pack (15 pops) will be selling for $29.99. However, the announcement has drawn backlash from many parties, especially Bob Ross’ fans.
Controversy surrounding Bob Ross NFTs
NFT collections surrounding late celebrities are nothing new, but several projects have received negative reactions from fans around the world. For instance, NFT drops featuring Stan Lee and Chadwick Boseman have received heavy backlash in the past. Similary, Funko’s announcement have been accused of profiting off someone’s legacy.
The Bob Ross controversy came to light after the Netflix documentary, which exposed the battle over his business empire, Bob Ross Inc. Currently, the company is being run by Bob’s business partners, the Kowalskis. Their daughter Joan has opened up the company and its products for merchandising, including the deal with Funko. To make matters worse, none of the proceeds will go to Bob’s family.
Bob has made it clear to everyone that he did not want his likeness to be used for profits. Before he passed, he even made changes to his will to prevent this from happening.
Funko will be minting 24,000 Standard Packs and 8,000 Premium Packs next week. The sale of the Bob Ross NFTs alone will amount to almost $500k in revenue, which does not include any physical collectibles. This seems like a direct conflict with the painter’s dying wishes.
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