Shifting Gears: Inter Miami CF Unveil New Audi Collaboration, Debut Third 'Archive' Kit

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Audi takes their passion for performance on the soccer field as the new “Official Premium Automotive Partner” of Inter Miami CF.

The multi-year partnership between the automation company and the soccer team was unveiled last week during a two-day event in Miami that featured the likes of Diego Calva, basketball star Tim Hardaway Jr., DJ Brendan Fallis and a handful of Inter Miami. players, who helped celebrate the new start (Miami CF star Lionel Messi was absent as he prepared for Argentina's appearance in the Copa América finals).

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

In the meantime, Inter Miami CF fans will have access to branded activations such as special Audi Test Drive experiences, and current Audi owners (2023-2024 fleet cars) can also purchase exclusive Inter Miami CF Themes for the interface system of the Audi dashboard. transforming the interior of their vehicle with team-inspired wallpapers.

For Inter Miami full-back Julian Gressel, the new Audi partnership is just another testament to the continued growth and popularity of soccer in the U.S. “It's a global sport that everyone plays all over the world and the U.S. is finally catching up,” he said. Gressel. Rolling rock at the opening event. “Obviously now we have players who are global superstars, so it makes sense that more people and all these companies want to be a part of it.”

Gressel grew up in Germany, where soccer is basically a national past time, and says he was surprised to see the muted reaction to the sport when he first moved to the U.S. “In Germany, I didn't know anything else.” He says. “I was two or three years old and all I had was a soccer ball to kick around, so when I came here at 18 for college, I realized it was a sport that was still a little behind. But with the World Cup coming again, the Copa America here and the new MLS franchises, you can see the excitement and the fans filling the stadiums,” he enthuses. “Football captures the excitement of entire cities and it's incredible.”

And then there's the Messi effect: “Everywhere we go, there are sell-out crowds, and people outside hotels, and just a ton of excitement around,” says Gressel. “It creates a lot of buzz and there's a ripple effect that's happening now with brands like Audi and partnerships like that.”

Audi has been an official automotive partner of MLS since 2015, with six local club partnerships now, including DC 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 in MLS academies while providing financial support to community initiatives with led by MLS Players.

Gressel says he also has a personal connection to Audi: “My first car I ever bought myself was an Audi A3,” he reveals. “And Ingolstadt [Germany], where Audi is headquartered, is about 45 minutes from my hometown, so I drove past it all the time. So seeing the four rings [logo] now here in Miami, it's a full-circle moment.”

The Audi partnership wasn't the only new announcement from Inter Miami this week. The club also debuted new soccer jerseys that tap into retro Miami vibes in an '80s-inspired aqua colorway. Named 'Archive Collection', this will be the team's third kit.

The full collection includes Adidas Gazelle jersey, jacket and shoes. Shop the Inter Miami CF Archive collection online at mlsstore.com.