Inter Miami partners with Polkadot to bring blockchain technology to the soccer field
By Riley Kaminer
It’s Messi… it’s blockchain… it’s Miami, of course!
Inter Miami CF, our local Major League Soccer team, has just announced a major collaboration with Polkadot, a leading blockchain platform founded in 2020 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, making it the team’s global training partner.
Starting from the August 31 match against Chicago Fire FC, Inter Miami’s First Team will showcase the Polkadot logo on their training kits. Beyond the physical display, those involved with the project hope that it will help bring the blockchain to more Miamians.
James Slusser, a senior ambassador within the Polkadot community who’s based in Fort Lauderdale, explained this community aspect in an interview with Refresh Miami: “This particular sponsorship deal is all about fan engagement,” Slusser said. “It’s about showcasing the incredible potential of web3 technologies in sports.”
Polkadot Is a decentralized ecosystem where power and decision-making lie in the hands of its 1.3 million-strong community. The platform’s governance model allows its members to propose and vote on initiatives, making this partnership with Inter Miami a project driven by the community’s vision.
Salvatore Esposito – a Miami-based entrepreneur and another key figure in the Polkadot ecosystem, where he is better known by the moniker The Weak Hand – shared that the idea for this partnership stemmed from a broader vision to connect the world of sports with blockchain technology. “I wanted to create this sort of combination, to make this merge, to join both communities,” Esposito explained. He emphasized that the goal was to engage soccer fans with the world of blockchain, potentially without them even realizing it, by seamlessly integrating blockchain technology into their everyday experiences.
Hope Goodman, a Broward-based technical product initiative leader in the Polkadot community who also goes by Hope Clary online, elaborated on the broader mission of the partnership. She noted that one of the key aims is to transition current web2 internet experiences into the web3 world, where everything is more transparent, secure, and community-driven. “The mission here is to allow web3 tech to start translating to the masses,” Goodman said.
The partnership between Inter Miami and Polkadot also represents an important moment in the sport world, as it’s one of the first sponsorship deals to be executed with a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). This is no small feat, the three representatives underscored, as writing a legal agreement with an organization that doesn’t legally exist poses unique challenges. This success highlights the innovative and pioneering spirit of both Inter Miami and Polkadot. Already, Polkadot has sponsored race car driver Conor Daly.
Looking ahead, Slusser told us that he is focused on building and expanding the Polkadot community in South Florida. He’s planning to organize events and meetups to engage developers, enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the Polkadot ecosystem. “We want to connect with higher education institutions in South Florida to provide resources and opportunities for students interested in web3,” he added.
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
I am a Miami-based technology researcher and writer with a passion for sharing stories about the South Florida tech ecosystem. I particularly enjoy learning about GovTech startups, cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence, and innovators that leverage technology to transform society for the better. Always open for pitches via Twitter @rileywk or www.RileyKaminer.com.
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