Is This Really the Future of the Autograph?

 

During the Major League Baseball playoffs in October, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey tweeted out a photo of an autograph sent to him by pitcher Jason Motte of the St. Louis Cardinals, Dorsey's longtime favorite team.
But the signature wasn't the typical John Hancock scrawled on the back of some napkin or piece of memorabilia. It was an "Egraph," a personalized electronic autograph powered by a startup called Egraphs that uses digital technology to connect sports stars and fans in a completely new way.
Launched in July, the Seattle-based Egraphs' business model is simple, but pretty clever. Fans can peruse the company website to see if their favorite athlete has partnered up with Egraphs. Each player's section has a number of professionally shot action photographs included, typically priced between $25 and $50. The fan pays and sends the athlete a message through the website, including some personal details or memories.
The athlete then receives that message on his custom iPad app, using the the information provided to write a personalized note and electronic autograph on the selected photo. The photo is then sent electronically to the fan, who can save it digitally, share it on social media or order a physical print. Revenue is split between company and athlete.
"It's about connecting athletes with fans in a meaningful way that's different from the traditional autograph experience," says former Major League Baseball player Gabe Kapler, Egraphs' director of business development.
Egraphs has so far exclusively worked with pro baseball players, but is expected to announce a partnership with some 70 NBA players on Friday. Included in that list will be Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and retired legend Hakeem Olajuwon.
But Kapler says the company is only just beginning to overhaul the time-honored tradition of autograph idolatry. Actors, actresses, musicians and more are all on the way soon.
"Any celebrity that has a fan, we want to give them the ability to connect with that fan," Kapler says. "We're a celebrity vehicle, not just a sports vehicle."
Do you think Egraphs' can revolutionize the autograph for the 21st century, or does its premise fall flat? Give us your take in the comments.