My oh my, what a difference ten months makes. It is awesome to report that CBD has entered SX after being completely banned earlier this year. Back in January, FELD banned all CBD logos from being present anywhere near Monster Energy Supercross, which threw a big wrench into the programs of Dean Wilson (IgniteCBD), Chad Reed (cbdMD) and some other riders’ sponsorship programs for the 2019 Monster Energy season.
I personally thought the rule was silly with the new Farm bill signed into law that made in federally legal, but early into the ’19 season, FELD announced these rules: “Signage or promotional displays for CBD-related products will not be allowed in the pit areas. No rider will be allowed to race with logos or other promotional displays on their person, their uniform, their gear, or on their bike. Failure to comply with this will result in a rider being removed from a race or denied entry.”
Watch Chad Reed’s post-race interview video below from earlier this year to see how he still promoted cbdMD despite the ban.
FELD had established a firm and unwavering stance on CBD products, but when we showed up to the 2019 Monster Energy Cup, the cbdMD logos were all over Chad Reed and his bike, and cbdMD had even bought themselves their own corner on the track that was aptly named the cbdMD turn. They say nothing turns the wheels of legislation like money and cbdMD had obviously stepped up in a big way.
As of now, not only is it okay for riders to accept sponsorship from CBD companies and display their logos as much as possible, but FELD just sent out a PR today that cbdMD is now the Exclusive CBD Partner of Monster Energy Supercross and the Monster Energy Cup. With that, the demographics of SX viewers and the very deep pockets of the marijuana industry at the moment, do not be surprised to see the CDB logos start to compete with energy drinks on a real level. That is a fight I think most everyone in moto welcomes.
You can check out the PR below.
Ellenton, Fla., (October 22, 2019) – Feld Motor Sports, Inc. announced today that cbdMD, Inc. (NYSE American: YCBD) has come on board as the exclusive CBD partner for both Monster Energy Supercross and the Monster Energy Cup. The multi-year agreement officially began at the annual all-star event held at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas this past weekend and will extend into the 2020 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, season.
“We’re excited to be the first motorsport to have an exclusive deal within the CBD category,” said Jason Bitsoff, SVP of Global Sponsorship for Feld Entertainment. “Supercross is leading the way in the motorsports industry and we’re always looking at partners that are also category leaders.”
cbdMD sponsors an array of professional athletes that cover a broad spectrum of sports, from pro surfing, beach volleyball, golf and tennis, to MMA and Supercross. The Monster Energy Cup, an invite-only race attracted the elite of the sport both on and off the track and featured a potential $1 million purse, the largest prize in motorcycle racing, and included an iconic in-seating track section dubbed the cbdMD skyhook.
“As a category exclusive partnership with Feld Motor Sports, cbdMD is excited to expand our relationship to both Monster Energy Supercross and their fans. We feel this fast-growing sport is the perfect platform for our products, and the weekend was nothing short of a huge success for our vision for the future and the growth of our brand,” said Caryn Dunayer, President cbdMD.
For more information on the Monster Energy Supercross ,visit SupercrossLIVE.com, the official website of Monster Energy Supercross, or follow via social channels:
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Feature photo: by Octopi – Courtesy of Monster Energy