Polkadot’s logo to feature on Lionel Messi’s jersey with Inter Miami partnership

Blockchain network Polkadot will now use its logo on football icon Lionel Messi’s training jersey as part of a partnership with US-based football club Inter Miami.

According to a press release shared with Crypto.news, Inter Miami players, including football stars such as FC Barcelona legends Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, will wear training jerseys featuring the Polkadot logo as part of the club’s new partnership with the blockchain platform, which is now their global training partner.

The logo will be featured on the front and back of training tops for players and staff to wear during training sessions and pre-match warm-ups. Inter Miami fans worldwide will get their first look at the new kits ahead of the away match against Chicago Fire FC on August 31.

Additionally, as a principal partner, Polkadot’s branding will also appear on signage at the football club’s home ground, Chase Stadium. Polkadot will also engage with the club’s fan base through interactive fan zone events as part of the agreement.

Chrissy Hill, CLO and interim COO of Parity Technologies, the blockchain infrastructure firm behind Polkadot, said the project’s sponsorship of Inter Miami aligns with its commitment to the future of the entertainment industry.

Unveiled in 2020, Polkadot is a sharded multi-chain network co-founded by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood. The project aims to connect multiple blockchains via a centralized Relay Chain that provides shared security and consensus. This design allows independent blockchain networks, known as parachains (customizable blockchains with their own special features and functions), to operate in parallel and communicate with each other, increasing interoperability and scalability across the entire network.

The latest partnership follows Polkadot’s sponsorship deals with Indy 500 driver Conor Daly and gaming company Mythical.

Polkadot uses a decentralized governance model where the community votes on how treasury funds are allocated, including marketing spend and sponsorship deals. While the amount spent on the latest sponsorship was not disclosed, the arrangement aligns with the network’s past marketing initiatives.

The crypto community criticized Polkadot’s marketing practices earlier this year after the project’s first half of 2024 report revealed that approximately $37 million was spent on marketing rather than ecosystem-building initiatives in the first half of 2024.