Inter Miami CF Unveils Audi Partnership, Debut of ‘Archive’ Third Kit

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Audi takes Their passion for performance on the football pitch as the new “Official Luxury Car Partner” of Inter Miami CF.

The multi-year partnership between the automaker and the soccer team was unveiled last week during a two-day event in Miami, which brought the likes of Diego Calva, basketball star Tim Hardaway Jr., DJ Brendan Valles and a handful of Inter Miami players to help celebrate the new launch (Miami CF star Lionel Messi was not in attendance, as he was preparing for Argentina’s Copa America appearance).

As part of the new partnership, Audi vehicles and SUVs will be featured on and off the pitch at Chase Stadium in Miami, including the new Audi e-tron GT and the Audi RS Q8, both wrapped in Inter Miami’s now-famous pink and black team colors. Audi will also be featured during matches on stadium advertising boards and LED screens, as well as on Inter Miami’s digital and social platforms.

Meanwhile, Inter Miami CF fans will have access to branded activities, such as special Audi Test Drive experiences, and current Audi owners (for vehicles from the 2023-2024 fleet) can also purchase exclusive Inter Miami CF themes for the Audi dashboard interface system, transforming the interior of their car with team-inspired display wallpapers.

For Inter Miami player Julian Gressel, the new partnership with Audi is just further evidence of soccer’s continued growth and popularity in the United States. “It’s a global sport that’s played by people all over the world, and the United States is finally catching up,” Gressel said. rolling stone At the opening ceremony. “Obviously we now have world-class players, so it makes sense that more people and all these companies would want to be part of that.”

Gressel grew up in Germany, where soccer is a national pastime, and says he was surprised to see the muted reaction to the sport when he first moved to the United States. “In Germany, I didn’t know anything else,” he says. “I was 2 or 3 and all I had was a soccer ball to kick around, so when I came here when I was 18 to go to college, I realized it was still a sport that was lacking a bit. But with the World Cup coming back, the Copa America, and new teams coming out of MLS, you can see the excitement and the fans filling the stadiums.” “Soccer is taking over entire cities and it’s unbelievable.”

There’s also the Messi effect: “Everywhere we go, there are full crowds, people in front of hotels, and a lot of excitement around us,” says Gressel. “It creates a huge amount of buzz and there’s a ripple effect now happening with brands like Audi and partnerships like this.”

Audi has been an official automotive partner of MLS since 2015, with six local club partnerships now in place, including D.C. United, Orlando City SC, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew, and New York Red Bulls, in addition to Miami. The brand is also the official naming rights sponsor of Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The “Audi Goals Drive Progress” program, launched in 2019, has also helped fund player development at MLS academies, while providing financial support for community initiatives led by MLS players.

Gressel says he has a personal connection with Audi too: “The first car I bought myself was an Audi A3,” he reveals. “And Ingolstadt [Germany]Audi City, where Audi is headquartered, is about 45 minutes from my hometown, so I used to pass by all the time. So seeing the four rings [logo] And now here in Miami, it's kind of a full circle moment.

The partnership with Audi wasn’t the only new announcement from Inter Miami this week. The club also launched new football jerseys inspired by the old Miami vibes in an aqua blue colorway inspired by the 1980s. Dubbed the “Archive Collection,” these jerseys will be the team’s third jersey.

The full kit includes a shirt, jacket and Adidas Gazelle boots. You can buy the Inter Miami CF Archive kit online at mlsstore.com.