Blockchain-based network Polkadot has now incorporated its logo on soccer icon Lionel Messi’s training gear in collaboration with American football team Inter Miami.
In a news release published by Crypto. News, Inter Miami players, including football stars like FC Barcelona legends Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, will sport kits for training that feature the Polkadot logo as part of Inter Miami’s recent partnership with blockchain technology as its official global training partner.
The logo will appear on the back and front of the tops for training worn by players and technical staff that are worn for training as well as warm-ups prior to matches. Inter Miami fans worldwide will be able to view the new kit in their first appearance on August 31, prior to an away match against Chicago Fire FC.
Additionally, as a principal partnership, Polkadot’s branding will also be used in signs throughout the Chase Statium, the football club’s home stadium. Polkadot will also interact with the club’s fans through interactive fan zone events as part of the agreement.
Chrissy Hill, CLO & interim COO of Parity Technologies, the blockchain infrastructure company behind Polkadot and the project, stated that the company’s involvement in Inter Miami aligns with its dedication to the development of entertainment.
It was launched in 2020. Polkadot is a multi-chain sharded network that was co-founded by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood. The goal of the project is to link numerous blockchains using the central Relay Chain that provides the security of all blockchains and a consensus. This design allows independent blockchain networks, known as parachains–customizable blockchains with their own specific features and functionalities–to operate in parallel and communicate with each other, enhancing interoperability and scalability across the entire network.
The new collaboration follows Polkadot’s previous sponsorship agreements, which included Indy 500 driver Conor Daly and gaming company Mythical.
Polkadot employs an uncentralized model of governance, which allows the community to decide the way in which treasury funds are distributed, which includes marketing expenses and sponsorship agreements. Although the amount of money spent on the sponsorship has not been disclosed, the arrangement is consistent with previous marketing efforts.
This year, the cryptocurrency community has criticized Polkadot’s business practices for marketing after the company’s H1 report for 2024 revealed spending around $37 million during the first quarter of 2024 for marketing instead of crucial ecosystem-building initiatives.
