Demystifying Blockchain Technology Through Your Favourite Game: Football
Today, we use football to give everyone an understanding of a cross-cutting and future technology called Blockchain. This captivating blog takes you on a journey where football and blockchain intersect, making complex technology as easy to understand as your favourite game.
Football is known to many people; for some, it’s called soccer. It is a popular sport played worldwide and has been used for years to foster unity among individuals through rivalry and fair play. This is an exhilarating collective game played on a rectangular pitch where two squads of eleven players each battle to achieve goals by manoeuvring a ball into the adversary’s goalpost. It’s characterized by adept ball control, accurate distribution, and tactical collaboration.
The first time people hear of Blockchain, they connect it to cryptocurrency/digital currencies, which is one of the many applications of this technology; however, it is still a challenge to understand the logic and the need for Blockchain. Challenged by someone close to me to explain how it works, I decided to work on a simple explanation and share it with the world.
Let me take you back to the FIFA World Cup finals in 2022 in Doha, Qatar. The finals were contested between France and Argentina. This was a big match watched globally; as the norm, it had a giant digital scoreboard. However, what makes our Blockchain-enabled match unique is the control for this scoreboard is not by one person but by everyone in the stadium. This means everyone has a copy of the scoreboard on their phones.
When a player from France successfully puts the ball into the net, they notify the entire stadium, exclaiming, “Hey, I have scored a goal for France!” Subsequently, each person checks their digital scoreboard to verify the claim, and if they concur, they update their score to reflect that France has earned a point. Once a goal has been added to the scoreboard, it becomes impervious to alteration or deletion. It is akin to a supremely impregnable seal enveloping it. Hence, even if someone seeks to deceive and declares, “No, that goal should not be counted,” the rest of the spectators promptly respond, “Apologies, it is already displayed on the scoreboard, and we are all in agreement.” Any disputes are quickly resolved as the consensus of the fans prevails.
As more goals are scored, the scoreboard on each individual’s mobile device remains identical since they all collectively keep track of the score. It resembles a scenario where the fans seated in the stadium unanimously agree on the score, and no one can tamper with it. This system guarantees an equitable game since nobody can manipulate the score. You can also think of it as having a multitude of referees within the stadium, diligently monitoring the score to ensure that everything remains fair and unambiguous.
I hope you find it exciting that this technology comes as Permissioned versus Permissionless. Well, It’s an intriguing twist, indeed. If we consider the France and Argentina finals, imagine the two teams played two types of games for each half, one using the “permissioned” paradigm and the second half, a “permissionless” game.
In the permissioned game, only a select group of fans possessing exclusive tickets will be granted the authority to modify the scoreboard, as commonly seen when referees are appointed to ensure the accuracy of the scores. The reason behind this type of game is for crucial matches that demand heightened security measures. During the second half, the permissionless game welcomes any fan who wishes to participate and contribute to the scoreboard updates. This match is different because of the inclusive environment where everyone can join, and the scores are determined through mutual agreement among the fans.
Please note whether permissioned or permissionless, the scoreboards remain safeguarded, and the consensus is attained regarding the scores, ensuring customized security and equity. The distinction lies in the fact that only specific fans can update the scoreboard in the permission game. At the same time, anyone can join and assist in maintaining the scoreboard in the permissionless game.
Does this give you any insight into how this cool technology works? Please leave other exciting ways that you use to understand Blockchain in the comment section.
Next time someone asks, tell them Blockchain is similar to a FIFA World Cup finals match where numerous scoreboards must reach a consensus on the final score, ensuring fairness and security. Blockchain guarantees the immutability and integrity of records and transactions, making it a reliable solution for diverse endeavours such as digital currencies and supply chain monitoring. This technology serves as an equalizer, levelling the playing field for all participants, much like the exhilarating atmosphere of a football game.
A more formal definition is Blockchain technology is a cutting-edge system that operates on a decentralized network, ensuring the utmost security and reliability in recording transactions permanently. However, like any groundbreaking technology, it encounters obstacles such as scalability and the need for appropriate global, regional and national regulations to govern its operations.
Parting shot: As a first-time researcher in blockchain, I am still learning and excited about the future.
