Trulieve Cannabis Corp. has signed its first cannabis sponsorship deal with a professional pickleball league.
INDIAN WELLS, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Anna Lee Waters wins professional women's doubles title at the 2022 Margaritaville USA Pickleball Nationals Championship held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 13. Hit a forehand shot against Jesse Irvine and…(+)Anna Bright in a battle. , 2022, Indian Wells, California. (Photo by Bruce Yang/Getty Images)
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Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (TCNNF) recently made history as the first official cannabis sponsor of professional pickleball. In August, the company announced an innovative partnership with the United Pickleball Association (UPA), parent company of the Carvana Pro Pickleball Tour (PPA Tour) and Major League Pickleball by Margaritaville (MLP). announced the contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal gives Trulieve exclusive cannabis sponsor status and includes branding and digital integration.
This association is timely as pickleball continues to explode in popularity while cannabis continues to evolve into a mainstream product. The new partnership includes Trulieve's sponsorship of 12 premier events across the PPA Tour and MLP in Arizona, Florida and Georgia, starting with the CIBC Atlanta Slam in September 2024. It has started and will continue until 2025.
“We are focused on key markets where Trulieve has a significant retail presence,” said Gina Collins, Trulieve's chief marketing officer. “As we learn more about the upcoming 2025 season and beyond, we are considering sponsoring events in additional markets.”
Trulieve's sponsorship is based on promoting the health benefits of cannabis to a diverse audience of athletes and spectators.
Mr Collins explained: “We are fostering a broader awareness of how cannabis can serve as a resource, not only for professional and amateur athletes, but also for athletes simply seeking a more natural approach to health. Pickleball Fun and engaging platforms like tournaments allow us to share knowledge and expand perspectives on cannabis health.”
“This is a strategic way to promote health,” said Jeffrey Watson, senior vice president of marketing and communications for PPA Tours. “They (Trulieve) want to showcase the therapeutic benefits of cannabis with an active community of health-conscious people who are our pickleball participants, including pain management, joint recovery, and more. may also include adults interested in reducing anxiety.”
Trulieve grows and grows in facilities that provide flowers in all … (+) states in the Northeast, from Florida to Arizona.
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Not just for seniors anymore
Since its invention in 1965 by former Washington state congressman and lieutenant governor Joel Pritchard and his friends at their home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball has gradually gained momentum and become a casual game for families and seniors. It has transitioned from a traditional sport to one that fascinates athletes and competitors. All ages. The “Father of Pickleball” would be surprised at the extent to which his new racquet sport has taken the nation by storm.
According to the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, pickleball is the fastest growing sport for the third year in a row, with approximately 13.6 million players in the United States. The report states that it has recorded an impressive growth of 51.8% from 2022 to 2023. 223.5% growth in 3 years.
The number of courts has also exploded, with more than 12,000 pickleball venues and an estimated 44,094 courts in the United States.
Large indoor/outdoor venues are opening daily, with more scheduled to open to meet constant demand. PURE Pickleball and Padel, for example, is building what its founders call “the world's largest pickleball facility” in Scottsdale, Arizona. It will include 48 courts (expandable to up to 60), temporary outdoor courts, and a 5,000-seat temporary stadium. Construction on the venue is scheduled to begin in 2025.
Pro circuit development
As pickleball grows, there are numerous local and national organizations associated with the sport at the amateur and professional levels. Differentiating between various associations such as APP, PPA, MLP, PWR, SPT, NPL, USOP, etc. can be just alphabet soup for beginners.
However, the merger of the PPA Tour and MLP under the UPA umbrella created an impressive powerhouse team at the top of the pickleball world. Although the leagues share the same roof, they maintain their respective competition formats.
Founded in 2019, the PPA Tour is an individual competition league that brings together nearly 130 elite professional competitors to compete for ever-growing prize money. The 2024 season will consist of 26 Tour stops, culminating with the season finale at the Championship in San Clemente, California, December 4-8.
Watson said the most successful players earn an average of more than $300,000 a year in prize money and dividends, not including personal sponsorship deals.
“We pay our top players appearance fees to ensure we sell a great product to our fans and broadcasters. “This will ensure we have top players in all these markets and TVs,” he said.
This dynamic growth has paid off, making professional pickleball a staple of broadcast television and streaming services. Like Law & Order, this too has become ubiquitous, with matches seemingly always being broadcast on ESPN2, Tennis Channel, Pickleball TV, MLP YouTube, CBS, Fox, ABC, or Prime Video.
A unique element of the PPA Tour format, and one that our partners find particularly appealing, is the inclusion of amateur competition. Watson said PPA Tour events involve more than 1,000 amateur players across all age groups and skill levels, and sponsors range from professional athletes and spectators alone to large groups of active players. We estimate that it will expand. The bracket also includes a wheelchair section.
Former NFL great and 2019 NFL Hall of Fame class member Champ Bailey is Trulieve Georgia Chief… (+) Diversity Officer.
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MLP, on the other hand, is a team-based league consisting of 22 local four-a-side co-ed teams across two levels: Premier and Challenger. The team is joined by a group of celebrity owners from the NFL, NBA, Olympic, WNBA, tennis, MLB, entertainment and social media.
The current 11-game season culminates in the quarterfinals in Dallas, Nov. 1-3, and the semifinals/finals, Nov. 22-24 in Orlando, Florida. Similar to the English Football League system, challenger teams have the opportunity to be promoted to the premier level based on their performance.
This interesting format consists of women's doubles, men's doubles and a mixed doubles final. MLP plans to introduce an amateur component similar to the PPA Tour in 2025.
Having a presence in both leagues gives Trulieve the opportunity to grow its brand by leveraging a number of different audiences. At the same time, the company is developing and launching a new wellness product line called Momenta Active, aimed at people who engage in high-intensity activities such as pickleball and other sports.
Trulieve targets a wide audience.
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“Our team's focus at each event is to proactively engage with pickleball fans and eliminate stigma against cannabis by sharing knowledge and providing educational resources,” Collins said. “We also strive to enhance the experience with branded gifts such as paddles and shirts that fans can use for autographs or play on their local courts.”
Not Reefer Madness…
Don't expect free joints or product samples at events Trulieve attends, at least for the time being.
Collins explained that the sponsorship is a custom agreement that adheres to the unique regulatory environment surrounding cannabis. Trulieve will only be active in markets where the government deems it legal.
Watkins added: “Thousands of amateurs and spectators come to our events, but we actually have alcohol sponsors. It's the same kind of thing. It's regulated by the government, and we have a We follow all local regulations to make sure we are doing the right thing.”
Regarding professional pickleball players and cannabis, Watkins noted that major professional sports leagues no longer test for cannabis, adding that there are currently no plans to introduce drug testing on the PPA Tour or MLP. .
“Promoting a legal drug testing program requires significant resources, both logistical and financial,” he explained. “And we have never had a competitive advantage of PEDs in pickleball or a problem with PEDs among athletes.”
Paddles, not PEDs, are a more pressing concern for regulatory agencies. As technology advances, the issue of equipment compatibility has become as big a deal as it is in professional golf.
Bart and Earn partnership
Cannabis companies are increasingly focusing on health and recovery, rather than just recreational use. Professional pickleball tournaments also provide unparalleled access to a highly desirable demographic of potential customers. It's a win-win for both parties.
Trulieve is also expanding into professional sports sponsorships.
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“Education is at the heart of Trulieve's mission,” Collins reiterated. “But the most important aspect is reaching and educating consumers who are new to cannabis or have never thought about cannabis before.”
She added, “Any interaction is successful if someone walks away even a little more interested in cannabis than they were before by providing insight into its benefits and its potential to enhance their health routine.”
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