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Marijuana Dispensary Could Buy The Name Rights to Denver Broncos Stadium

Marijuana Dispensary Could Buy The Name Rights to Denver Broncos Stadium

Culture

Marijuana Dispensary Could Buy The Name Rights to Denver Broncos Stadium

The Denver Broncos could get a pot-themed makeover this year if a Colorado-based marijuana dispensary ends up buying the naming rights to the team’s stadium.

The Denver Broncos stadium is currently named Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

The sporting goods store, Sports Authority, has held the naming rights to the venue since 2011. But the company filed for bankruptcy last month. And as a result, it plans to close 140 of its 450 stores.

It may also have to forfeit its naming rights if it can’t make a payment of $3.6 million to the Denver Broncos organization. That payment is reportedly due by August 1.

If Sports Authority does lose its naming rights, the Denver Broncos could be on the market for a new stadium name. And Colorado-based marijuana dispensary Native Roots just announced that it wants to buy the rights to re-name the stadium.

The dispensary has seen explosive growth since the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014. It began as a single shop but quickly grew to include 14 locations around the state.

The dispensary’s announcement was initially met with skepticism since Native Roots made its intentions known on April Fool’s Day.

But the owners of Native Roots have made it very clear that they really do want to buy the naming rights.

“It’s not a joke, we’re very serious,” founding partner Rhett Jordan said.

“We’ve always been huge fans of the Broncos, we felt like this was a great opportunity to bring two brilliant brands together.”

If Sports Authority loses its naming rights, and the Denver Broncos enter into a deal with Native Roots, the dispensary said the stadium would be re-named Native Roots Field at Mile High.

Marijuana Dispensary Could Buy The Name Rights to Denver Broncos Stadium

Native Roots owners have also put their money where their mouths are. They said they’re fully prepared to make a multi-million dollar agreement with the football team.

Sports Authority reportedly spends $6 million a year to have its name attached to the venue.

The pairing of the Broncos and marijuana isn’t actually all that farfetched.

After the Broncos won the Super Bowl last season, the state saw a significant spike in marijuana sales.

The relationship between the NFL and marijuana, however, may not be as strong.

Marijuana is currently on the league’s list of banned substances. But a growing number of players and former players are urging the league to change that, arguing that cannabis could be a safer, more effective form of medicine than the painkillers they’re usually given to cope with injuries.

In order to ease any concerns the NFL or the Broncos organization may have about working with a cannabis company, Native Roots said it would forego its usual cannabis-leaf logo and use its alternative logo of a tree with roots instead.

(Photo Credit: Flickr)

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