MLB’s Marketing Future: Is Cannabis Sponsorship on Deck?

Major League Baseball has been steadily modernizing its relationship with cannabis, but the question many fans and industry experts now pose is whether that evolution could one day extend to allowing cannabis sponsorships. From the perspective of a sports and brand marketing specialist, the answer is complex—but not impossible.

MLB made headlines in 2020 when it removed marijuana from its “drugs of abuse” list and began treating cannabis use similarly to alcohol. The league also partnered with CBD brand Charlotte’s Web in 2022, approving the company as the “Official CBD of MLB” after the product met NSF Certified for Sport standards—marking the first major professional sports partnership with a cannabis-adjacent brand. This moment was widely seen as a breakthrough, signaling that the league is open to carefully vetted cannabinoid products when compliance and consumer safety are clear.

However, THC-dominant cannabis sponsorships present a far tougher challenge. MLB, like other professional leagues, must navigate the patchwork of state-by-state cannabis laws. While 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. now permit adult-use cannabis, several MLB markets—including Texas and Georgia—still prohibit recreational sales. This presents a compliance obstacle for league-wide sponsorships, as any advertising deal must be operationally consistent across all 30 teams.

Trusted legal and sports business sources such as the Sports Business Journal and Marijuana Policy Project note that federal prohibition remains the largest barrier. As long as cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance, national broadcast partners like FOX, TBS and ESPN cannot accept THC-related advertising during games without risking federal scrutiny. That makes league-level sponsorships nearly unworkable under current regulations.

But the tide is shifting. Recent federal rescheduling discussions and the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation to move cannabis to Schedule III have accelerated speculation about the future of cannabis advertising in major sports. If reform advances—especially if federal banking rules ease—many marketing experts believe MLB could adopt a model resembling alcohol sponsorships: highly regulated, aimed at adults, and tailored to responsible-use messaging.

At the club level, the door may crack open sooner. Team-to-team variability already exists in MLB sponsorship categories, and individual franchises in legal states could position cannabis partners similarly to local craft breweries or wellness companies. The Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, and San Francisco Giants, for example, play in markets where adult-use cannabis is fully legal and culturally normalized. Local sponsorships tied to education, wellness, or community impact would face fewer hurdles than national THC branding—and could help MLB test the waters with minimal risk.

From a branding standpoint, cannabis companies are eager. The audience overlap between cannabis consumers and sports fans is substantial, and MLB’s demographic challenges—especially the need to attract younger fans—align with the interests of cannabis and CBD brands looking to scale. Analysts in the sports marketing sector predict that once federal rules change, the cannabis industry could become one of the most competitive sponsorship categories in professional sports.

While cannabis sponsorships in MLB are not imminent, they are no longer unthinkable. With evolving laws, shifting public perception, and growing investment in athlete wellness, MLB may eventually find itself in a position where cannabis partnerships feel not only acceptable—but strategically valuable.