Cannabis Brand Expands Pro Sports Tie-Up

The partnership between JARS Cannabis and the Grand Rapids Gold is now in its third year, reflecting a growing trend of sustained community engagement by cannabis brands in professional sports. This year's initiatives include a "Gold Scores → You Stash" retail promotion and a public 3v3 basketball tournament in Grand Rapids, with a $4,000 cash prize. This collaboration exists within the NBA's evolving stance on cannabis. In 2023, the league removed cannabis from its banned substances list and ceased testing for it. While players are still prohibited from promoting marijuana companies directly, they are permitted to promote CBD brands and hold passive investments in cannabis companies. The move towards cannabis sponsorship is gaining momentum across professional sports. Major League Baseball named Charlotte's Web its official CBD partner in a deal worth over $30 million, and the Chicago Cubs later became the first MLB team to have a CBD sponsor with their MYND Drinks partnership. Other leagues have also embraced cannabis-related partnerships. The UFC secured a multi-million dollar global partnership with CBD supplier Love Hemp. In motorsports, sponsorships from cannabis-related companies have been present for several years in events like Formula Drift and the Indy 500. JARS Cannabis, founded in 2020, has a significant retail presence in Michigan and other states. The company emphasizes community involvement, participating in local health initiatives and educational programs in the Grand Rapids area. The brand's community efforts extend beyond sports partnerships. JARS has been involved in social equity scholarship programs for the cannabis industry and has partnered with other local companies on various community-focused campaigns.