Nashville SC striker CJ Sapong, newly announced as the first Athlete Ambassador for ScoreSide, yesterday announced a partnership with The Backline Supporters Collective.
ScoreSide is a Minneapolis-based startup that gives fans the opportunity to combine sports and charitable giving. Using a free to download app, users can set customizable donation amounts that are triggered by real time, in-game events.
Their campaign with Sapong and The Backline, users can download the app and choose a custom amount to donate for every goal Sapong scores. Every dollar will go to The Backline as a charitable contribution, and they will work with Sapong to fund initiatives right here in Nashville.
“This partnership with ScoreSide and The Backline opens doors for us to build upon a foundation of charitable giving that’s already driven positive change and helped scores of people,” said Sapong in ScoreSide’s press release. “The technology and vision here brings new ways to extend our social footprint and continue to grow communities that build upon their fandom to make positive change.”
Drafted in the 2011 SuperDraft, Sapong has consistently made an impact off the field for every city in which he’s played. He founded Sacred Seeds, an organization that “aims to bring income-generating resources and technology as well as nourishment to underserved communities so that they may thrive for generations to come.”
In addition to Sacred Seeds, Sapong is an executive board member for the Black Players for Change coalition. Founded last summer, the BPC unites MLS players, coaches and staff of color to work towards bringing attention and change to human rights inequalities.
“CJ just last week agreed to accept a critical role for our organization, serving as our first Athlete Ambassador to assist in building social capital in our partner markets,” said ScoreSide founder Ben Bakken through their press release. “We hope the result is money going to organizations primed to change the way our communities rally to support one another and build each other up.”
Founded in 2019, The Backline is a collective umbrella to unite all of Nashville’s supporters groups into a unified front. In addition to organizing match day events and support, The Backline coordinates the charitable efforts of each SG to maximize impact in the community.
“The decision to partner with CJ was actually very simple,” said Jason Moles, Backline Vice President and Liason to Nashville SC. “He has a huge desire to be more than a professional athlete. He wants to make a mark in the community that supports him.
“That can also be said for the supporters groups’s that make up The Backline. Each SG has charities we support, and this was a way for us to help those charities a little more. It will also give us the ability to have more focused giving campaigns from time to time. The ScoreSide App makes it a very easy thing for us to use to raise money for great charities like Kickin It 615 and the HEAT Initiative.”
Fans can download the ScoreSide app in the Apple App Store or Google Play, or visit www.scoreside.io for more details.
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