For the first time in history, a cryptocurrency firm has used blockchain technology to select an athlete for a brand ambassador sponsorship deal.

According to a press release sent to CryptoPotato, the Polkadot community just passed a vote to sponsor IndyCar racing star Conor Daly as Polkadot brand ambassador for the upcoming Indianapolis 500, an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Daly as Polkadot’s Indy 500 Ambassador

The Indy 500 race is slated for May 26, and the tournament will mark the beginning of a year-long collaboration between Polkadot and Daly. The deal will extend beyond the racetrack as Polkadot will host interactive community events and digital initiatives to engage Daly’s fans and introduce them to the cross-chain network.

The proposal that selected Daly as Polkadot’s brand ambassador passed with a 95.8% vote, representing a shift from traditional sponsorship methods, where negotiations are made behind closed doors. Polkadot said its decentralized approach to the deal is pioneering a new way to engage in sponsorships, prioritizing transparency and community-led decision-making through blockchain technology.

“This landmark sponsorship proves the transformative power and trust of blockchain technology in making a previously exclusive process open and inclusive. It’s a testament to Polkadot’s forward-thinking innovative community, robust network, and progressive governance model. It’s a blueprint for future collaborations,” said Chris Wade, a Polkadot community member who advocated for the proposal.

Polkadot Sees High Activity

A prominent personality in the American professional racing space, Daly is one of the 29 drivers in history who raced in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing’s Daytona 500 and the Indy 500 in the same year. In addition to his remarkable racing record, Daly is the co-host of the weekly motorsports podcast Speed Street.

Commenting on the alliance with Polkadot, Daly said:

“The fact that thousands of individuals in the Polkadot community – not a corporate marketing team – used their voices to vote and select me as their ambassador is an incredible honor and reflective of the power of what a more free and open internet can look like in the future… We’re bringing power back to people, while making sports history.”

Polkadot’s announcement comes as the blockchain sees a record-breaking number of addresses in its ecosystem. More than 600,000 addresses are currently active on Polkadot, signaling bustling activity on the network.