(Above Left) Saja, 13, plays with her soccer ball in Syria. “I love playing football. When I play football, I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything at all,” she says. Source: Khudr Al-Issa/UNICEF
(Above Right) Boys and girls from Mambote Primary School in Bandundu City, Capital of Kwilu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, celebrate their victory after a football match organized by a UNICEF and their partners. Source: UNICEF
Executive Summary
The Polkadot community are considering an Inter Miami shirt sponsorship for one and a half years at a cost of $8.8M USD.
The deal comes at a time when the Polkadot Ecosystem is commencing with a significant upgrade known as JAM or Joint Accumulate Machine.
The Federated International Football Association (FIFA) are in the process of setting up a large office in Miami to plan for the FIFA Football World Cup in 2026 which will be played in the US, Canada and Mexico. Based on figures from the 2022 World Cup we estimate an audience of between 5.5 and 6 Billion people for the 2026 event.
By establishing a charitable organisation, ‘Polkadot Global Football Foundation’ (PGFF), the Polkadot community can participate and share in the global culture, language and community of football as part of a Polkadot Global Football Initiative (PGFI).
The work of the Foundation will spread Polkadot culture, community and commerce across the world, to those countries and organisations who partner with the Foundation and also to football communities who participate in Polkadot Global Football Foundation (PGFF) initiatives.
The Polkadot Global Football Foundation (PGFF) would have an Advisory board, two Founders and an operational plan agreed by the Polkadot community. The Foundation would be incorporated as a non-profit charitable organisation, recognised by the laws of the country in which it is registered. The Foundation would have a recognised brand identity and a regular organising presence in Miami, Florida.
The Polkadot Global Football Initiative (PGFI) would be a set of 5 guiding principles that focuses the impact Polkadot wishes to have on the global community through football.
Background
In an intersection of fans, football and blockchain technology, we find ourselves with a unique trilemma. How can we integrate the passionate world of football fans, the player experience and the advanced, decentralised technology of Polkadot, in ways that generate a positive impact for all parties?
Fans are what makes football the world game. For some, it is a religion. For many others, a temporary escape from reality. For most fans, football is the chance to become a part of something bigger than themselves.
For the players, football can range from a game at the end of a street with an improvised ball in a developing country to internationally celebrated and professional matches on the world stage.
Every football player has a story and together, these stories create the culture, community and language of football that moves beyond race, place, age and gender.
Polkadot is one of the most innovative platforms in Blockchain and Web 3.0, led by a founder, Gavin Wood, and supported by thousands of talented developers, creators and individuals.
Polkadot are in the process of building a Joint Accumulate Machine or JAM that will be a transactionless, distributed computer able to run almost any service. Having a strong focus on build quality, enterprise use compatibility, security and speed, Polkadot is helping to usher in a decentralised culture of blockchain technology to the global community.
Yet challenges remain for the Polkadot ecosystem in spreading its message to everyday people. For example, according to the Polkadot Growth Strategy Report, Polkadot’s promotional materials are: ”often too technical and specialised, making it challenging for ordinary users to comprehend” (PGSR 2023).
So on one hand, there is there is a need to break down into simple messaging what is possible with Polkadot and how it is changing the world for the better.
On the other hand, the Polkadot community needs to consider who are the most important audiences it wants to reach and why?
For example, if we are talking about Football there are the following audiences:
Polkadot Inter Miami Sponsorship
The Polkadot Community has recently voted to invest in a shirt sponsorship for the Inter Miami football club. The deal is complex, with many layers still being worked out in order to maximise value for the Polkadot ecosystem.