Let’s get Smashed, bros – A Weed App is sponsoring eSports

While 60% of Americans believe Marijuana should be legalized, some companies are already getting a head start on what is slowly becoming one of the most lucrative industries in the United States. Another industry, eSports and gaming, is synonymous with the recreational use of Marijuana, and don’t act like you’re surprised. The two will finally meet half way with the recent investment from Weedmaps, a mobile application which has now been dubbed as the “Yelp for Pot” in the United States.

Weedmaps is a weed hook-up application for licensed marijuana users which matches users with dispensaries in the United States. They operate within the legal States, and in 2014 Weedmaps made $30 million in revenue. The decision to become the headline sponsor for the Smash Summit 3, the largest Smash Bros tournament in the world, is a no-brainer for the company as top professional players will rake in a total viewership of around 70,000, reports Kotaku.

This is not the first time Weedmaps have shown interest in eSports. Earlier this year they sponsored the Halo: CE Beach LAN in Tampa Florida. They also had a “Weedmaps Gaming House” in Anaheim, California where the Halo 5 players could… “practice.” It gets better, the Weedmaps director possibly has the best name – Cody Dragon. Their ambition is to circle “around games which are currently underserved,” says Mr. Dragon.

Marijuana is still a banned substance among many professional leagues and tournaments. The drug can be seen as performance enhancing, or diminishing for most, thus falling into the same category as Adderall and other mental stimulants. Players who use it for medicinal purposes are often tasked with bringing the required documents to organizers in advance. While the Adderall is strictly legal in almost every country, marijuana use is not. It’s going to be a rough road for Weedmaps if they wish to continue their support for eSports as in the past many organizers have banned the sponsorship of brands which they feel aren’t in line with regulation. We saw it with Team YP and other brands, and it won’t be long before Weedmaps hit a brick wall with their ambition to sponsor eSports.

Last Updated: October 20, 2016