MLB and Cannabis Marketing: How Far Can Brands Go Under League Policy?

Major League Baseball (MLB) has taken a more progressive stance on cannabis than many fans realize, but that doesn’t mean “weed logos on jerseys” are around the corner. The short answer to whether cannabis brands can sponsor MLB teams is some can, under very specific conditions, and most still cannot.

The key distinction is between CBD and THC. In 2019, MLB removed natural cannabinoids, including marijuana, from its list of “Drugs of Abuse,” shifting toward a health-focused approach to player use. But the league’s commercial rules are much stricter than its drug policy. MLB’s Advertising and Sponsorship Guidelines explicitly prohibit advertising for “natural cannabinoid or synthetic THC products,” with a narrow carve-out for certain CBD brands.

That carve-out opened in June 2022, when MLB designated CBD as an “approved sponsorship category.” Teams were told they could sell CBD sponsorships if the products are certified by NSF Certified for Sport and contain no psychoactive levels of THC (generally 0.3 percent or less). Every deal must be individually approved by the Commissioner’s Office, and only the compliant CBD line, not a parent cannabis company’s broader portfolio, can be promoted.

This shift quickly changed the sponsorship landscape. MLB then signed a league-wide, multi-year agreement with Charlotte’s Web in October 2022, making it the “Official CBD of Major League Baseball” and the first CBD sponsor with its logo on an MLB-branded product. On the team side, the Chicago Cubs became the first club to ink a CBD deal in 2023, partnering with CBD sparkling beverage MYND under the new rules. These early partnerships show how wellness-branded CBD can sit alongside more traditional sponsors.

Critically, these permissions do not extend to high-THC marijuana brands. Because THC-dominant products remain federally illegal and are treated as “prohibited substances” under league advertising rules, dispensaries and adult-use brands cannot buy jersey patches, ballpark signage, or official digital inventory, even if they operate legally in a team’s home state. Full-spectrum cannabis companies may be able to participate only through a clearly separated, NSF-certified CBD line that is marketed independently from their THC products.

There are also content and placement limits that apply even to compliant CBD sponsors. MLB guidelines require advertising to be lawful, in good taste, and not primarily directed at youth audiences. CBD campaigns typically emphasize wellness, recovery, and sleep support rather than recreational “getting high.” League officials have also stressed that creatives must avoid health claims that would run afoul of FDA rules or mislead consumers, which further shapes the tone and language of CBD messaging around the ballpark.

Another wrinkle is the difference between league-level and individual endorsements. While MLB as a league and its clubs can now sign qualified CBD sponsors, reports have indicated that individual players still face tighter restrictions on direct cannabis brand endorsements, especially where products are clearly associated with marijuana rather than hemp-derived CBD.

For cannabis marketers, the takeaway is nuanced. Pure marijuana brands remain shut out of official MLB inventory, but compliant CBD companies now have access to a sponsorship platform that includes ballpark signage, digital integrations, and even jersey patches in some cases. As more CBD products clear NSF testing and as public attitudes continue to evolve, industry observers expect more team-by-team deals to emerge. For now, though, the league’s commercial guidelines draw a firm line: hemp-derived, rigorously tested CBD may sit in the dugout of approved partners, while THC-heavy cannabis brands are still waiting in the on-deck circle, at least under current federal law.