By Riley Kaminer
It’s Messi… it’s blockchain… it’s Miami, of course!
Inter Miami CF, our hometown Major League Soccer team, has 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 with the August 31 match against Chicago Fire FC, Inter Miami’s first team will sport the Polkadot logo on their training kits. Beyond the physical display, those involved in the project hope it will help introduce blockchain to more Miamians.
James Slusser, a senior ambassador within the Polkadot community based in Fort Lauderdale, explained this community aspect in an interview with Refresh Miami“This 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 are in the hands of its community of 1.3 million members. 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 as The Weak Hand, explained that the idea for the partnership came from a broader vision to connect the world of sports with blockchain technology. “I wanted to create this kind of combination, to make this fusion, to bring the two communities together,” Esposito explained. He stressed that the goal was to engage football fans in the world of blockchain, potentially without them even realizing it, by seamlessly integrating blockchain technology into their daily experiences.
Hope Goodman, a Broward-based Polkadot community technical product initiatives lead who also goes by Hope Clary online, explained the partnership’s broader mission. She noted that a key goal is to evolve current Web2 internet experiences into the Web3 world, where everything is more transparent, secure, and community-driven. “The mission here is to enable Web3 technology to start translating to the mainstream,” Goodman said.
The partnership between Inter Miami and Polkadot also represents a significant moment in the world of sports, as it is one of the first sponsorship deals with a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). This is no small feat, the three representatives noted, as drafting a legal agreement with an organization that does not legally exist poses unique challenges. The success highlights the innovative and pioneering spirit of Inter Miami and Polkadot. Polkadot has previously sponsored racing driver Conor Daly.
Slusser told us he’s focused on building and expanding the Polkadot community in South Florida. He plans to host events and meetups to engage developers, enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the Polkadot ecosystem. “We want to connect with South Florida higher education institutions to provide resources and opportunities for students interested in Web3,” he added.
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I’m a Miami-based tech researcher and writer with a passion for sharing stories about the South Florida tech ecosystem. I especially enjoy learning about GovTech startups, cutting-edge applications of artificial intelligence, and the innovators who are leveraging technology to transform society for the better. Always open to pitches via Twitter @rileywk or www.RileyKaminer.com.
