LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville-based Cornbread Hemp announced Friday it entered into a sponsorship deal with the University of Louisville in a first-of-its-kind showcase for THC drinks in Division I college sports.
The company, which makes and markets cannabis-infused seltzers permitted under federal law, said the "landmark collaboration marks a cultural shift that brings THC beverages out of the margins and into the mainstream of American sports culture."
Terms of the deal weren't disclosed in a news release. The U of L athletics department didn't immediately comment.
The sponsorship will allow for on-premise advertising at football, basketball and volleyball games, but sales aren't permitted at arenas and stadiums under current Kentucky law, Cornbread Hemp co-founder Jim Higdon said.
In legalizing industrial hemp in 2018, the U.S. Congress removed the crop from the list of controlled substances as long as it has low levels of THC — the psychoactive compound found in higher amounts in its marijuana cousin.
But that legislation created what some consider a "loophole" that has spurred a proliferation in cannabis-infused hemp gummies, drinks and other products. An effort to tighten the federal law brought by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., failed to advance this summer.
Meanwhile, the Kentucky General Assembly acted earlier this year to craft new state rules for the drinks amid concerns about their potency and widespread availability.
Louisville's L&N Stadium in August of 2025.
A new law limits the amount THC at 5 milligrams in a 12-ounce can, bans sales at bars and restaurants and gives the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board the power to enforce licensing and distributing laws. The drinks can be sold at fairs and festivals until the end of the year.
In recent years, CBD drink maker Mynd has announced sponsorships with Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs, the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liberty of the WNBA. Those products don't contain THC, according to the company.
Cornbread Hemp announced a partnership deal in May with Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC for the 2025 season.
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