Polkadot community selects Conor Daly as brand ambassador for Indy 500 Polkadot community selects Conor Daly as brand ambassador for Indy 500
The deal marks the first time in sports history that a major athlete's sponsorship was decided through a blockchain-based community vote.
2 min read
Updated: Apr. 9, 2024 at 5:59 pm UTC
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
The Polkadot (DOT) community has chosen IndyCar racer Conor Daly as their brand ambassador for the prestigious Indianapolis 500.
The deal marks the first time in sports history that a major athlete’s sponsorship was decided through a blockchain-based community vote, showcasing a transformative approach to engaging with sports and technology.
Conor Daly, a prominent figure in American professional racing and a fan favorite for his achievements on and off the track, received overwhelming support from the Polkadot community, with a 95.8% approval rating for his sponsorship.
Daly’s diverse career includes remarkable performances in the NASCAR Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500, making him an ideal representative of Polkadot’s vision of a more open and decentralized web.
The sponsorship goes beyond supporting Daly’s racing endeavors, aiming to spotlight Polkadot’s pioneering technology. Founded by Ethereum Co-Founder Gavin Wood, Polkadot seeks to establish a decentralized and secure web3 ecosystem.
The partnership with Daly at the May 26 Indianapolis 500 initiates a year-long collaboration that includes community events and digital campaigns to promote blockchain technology’s benefits to a broader audience.
Conor Daly expressed his excitement and honor in representing a community-driven brand like Polkadot, emphasizing the importance of bringing power back to the people. He said:
“The fact that thousands of individuals in the Polkadot community chose me as their ambassador showcases the potential of a more free and open internet.”
Daly added that he is thrilled to be racing not just for a brand but for a community of developers, investors, and regular people actively shaping the web’s future.
The innovative sponsorship selection process departs from traditional, opaque negotiations to a transparent, community-driven approach.
Chris Wade, a Polkadot community member instrumental in Daly’s sponsorship proposal, noted the significance of using blockchain technology to democratize the process, making it more accessible and inclusive.
As Polkadot aims to challenge the norms of digital and physical interactions, the partnership with Conor Daly shows the platform’s commitment to innovation, robust technology, and community-centric governance. It also stands as a model for future collaborations across different industries.
Disclaimer: CryptoSlate has received a grant from the Polkadot Foundation to produce content about the Polkadot ecosystem. While the Foundation supports our coverage, we maintain full editorial independence and control over the content we publish.
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Author 
Assad Jafri
AJ, a passionate journalist since Yemen's 2011 Arab Spring, has honed his skills worldwide for over a decade. Specializing in financial journalism, he now focuses on crypto reporting.
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Gavin Wood is the former Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of the Ethereum Project.