Polkadot and Conor Daly Revolutionize Sports Sponsorship
For the first time in sports history, the Polkadot community has selected IndyCar racing star Conor Daly as the Polkadot Brand Ambassador for the upcoming Indianapolis 500 through an on-chain community vote. This sponsorship marks the first time that a top athlete sponsorship has been decided through a community vote using blockchain technology.
Daly is one of the most beloved figures in American professional motorsports and is one of only 29 drivers in history to have raced in both the NASCAR Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 in the same year. The Indiana native is also popular off the track, having appeared on season 30 of The Amazing Race and participating in a variety of activities that highlight his social personality, including hosting the popular motorsports podcast Speed Street and appearing in the 2024 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game in his home state.
The proposal to sponsor Daly was approved with an overwhelming 95.8%, demonstrating the community’s willingness to put blockchain technology into practice and support Polkadot’s vision for a freer and more open internet (Web3). Launched in 2020 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, Polkadot is designed to be the powerful and secure core of Web3.
Polkadot
Polkadot’s decentralized governance places the community at the heart of the decision-making process, with every holder of the Polkadot token (DOT) having a say in the future direction of the platform.
The iconic Indianapolis 500, taking place on May 26, will kick off a dynamic year-long partnership. Daly’s ambassadorship for Polkadot will extend beyond the racetrack to include a series of interactive community events and digital initiatives that engage fans and introduce them to Polkadot’s innovative technology.
“The fact that thousands of individuals within the Polkadot community—and not a large corporate marketing team—speak up and choose me as an ambassador is a tremendous honor and a testament to what a freer, more open internet can look like in the future,” said Conor Daly.
“The idea that I’m not just racing for a brand name or logo, but for developers, investors and everyday people who are building the internet of tomorrow, is both exciting and overwhelming. We’re giving the power back to the people, while making sporting history.”
