Major League Baseball has become the first of the four major American professional sports leagues to get into CBD gaming.
MLB announced Wednesday that it has entered into a sponsorship deal with Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc., a market leader in hemp-derived CBD products.
MLB paved the way for the deal in June when it officially allowed clubs to enter into sponsorships with CBD companies certified for sports by NSF, an organization that sets standards for products used by athletes.
The deal between MLB and Charlotte’s Web came after a “rigorous approval process,” the league said in a statement.
“As a leader in the CBD category with products that deliver health and wellness benefits, Charlotte’s Web is a welcome addition to the MLB family, representing a historic partnership in baseball and sports,” said Noah. Garden, MLB’s chief revenue officer.
Charlotte’s Web will be the league’s official CBD sponsor and will feature the MLB logo on the bottle of its latest product, Daily Edge. The tincture, released Wednesday, is the first CBD product to be certified for sports by NSF.
When Charlotte’s Web announced the launch of its sports-focused line in August, CEO Jacques Tororoli said, “Focus, recovery and sleep are key areas of optimization for athletes that our sports products can support. . An NSF Certified for Sport® line can assure sports leagues and their players that the ingredients are safe and certify that there are no banned substances.
He continued, “We believe that our products, once compliant with NSF certification, will have a positive impact on the lives of professional, amateur and fan athletes alike.”
CBD has been touted for its anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties in recent years, with its popularity increasing exponentially in the United States.
In 2021, the U.S. CBD market exceeded $4.7 billion in total sales, according to the joint release from MLB and Charlotte’s Web.
Many professional athletes have sponsored or championed CBD during its rise to prominence, including NFL Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis, who teamed up with investors in 2018 to create a CBD-infused sports drink. . However, this is the first time that a major sports league has officially partnered with a hemp-based company.
