The largest entertainment arena in the U.S. is entering into a historic partnership with two cannabis drink brands, with plans to provide adult guests with a selection of hemp-derived THC beverages to enjoy.<\/p>\n
The brands\u2014Se\u00f1orita and RYTHM\u2014announced the years-long partnership with the United Center in Chicago on Tuesday. Adults 21 and older will have the change to enjoy a variety of THC drinks for live events at the arena, which is home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls.<\/p>\n
Se\u00f1orita\u2019s product lineup will include three different flavors of its 5mg hemp-derived THC beverages: Lime Jalape\u00f1o Margarita, Mango Margarita and Grapefruit Paloma. RYTHM, for its part, will sell its caffeinated mandarin orange THC drink.<\/p>\n
Both Se\u00f1orita and RYTHM were acquired by the cannabis company Agrify as part of a wide-ranging agreement last year. Agrify, which changed its name to RYTHM, concurrently agreed to license its portfolio of brands to the multi-state cannabis operator Green Thumb Industries (GTI) for manufacturing and distribution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis partnership is a major milestone for the city of Chicago, and we are proud to partner with the United Center to offer Illinois\u2019 leading THC beverages,\u201d Ben Kovler, chairman and interim CEO of RYTHM, said in a press release.<\/p>\n
\u201cBringing Se\u00f1orita and RYTHM to the United Center reflects a simple truth: consumers want non-alcoholic options, and leading venues are responding,\u201d Kovler, who is also chairman and CEO of GTI, said. \u201cThe United Center is one of the world\u2019s premier venues and continues to set the standard for live entertainment with the introduction of these modern, responsible options.\u201d<\/p>\n
The partnership will kick off on February 4 at a concert featuring New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton on February 4.<\/p>\n
Joe Myhra, COO of the United Center, said the facility\u2019s leaders are \u201cexcited to introduce Se\u00f1orita and RYTHM to the arena, bringing fans a new way to enjoy their live entertainment experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we continue to evolve our offerings for our guests, RYTHM\u2019s Chicago roots made its THC beverages a natural fit for the United Center experience,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This is one of the latest in a series of business partnerships connecting the hemp industry to key cultural event spaces and organizations.<\/p>\n
For example, at the beginning of 2024, the Brooklyn Nets and New York Liberty entered into partnerships with a CBD beverage company<\/a>\u2014the first teams in the NBA and WNBA, respectively, to forge deals with the cannabis industry.<\/p>\n The New York-based clubs partnered with Mynd Drinks, a hemp-based CBD sparkling beverage company that also made history in 2023 when it became an official partner of the Major League Baseball (MLB) team the Chicago Cubs<\/a>.<\/p>\n A top veterans organization last year entered a first-of-its-kind partnership with a hemp THC beverage company<\/a>, with a licensing branding deal that will support a variety of veterans services and promote cannabis drinks as a potential alcohol alternative.<\/p>\n A survey released last year found that majority of sports fans across multiple leagues\u2014from NFL to pro tennis and NBA to NASCAR\u2014say it\u2019s acceptable for cannabis companies to sponsor teams<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, last year, the airline Virgin Atlantic denied claims that it was partnering with a cannabis beverage company<\/a> that went out of its way to convince followers a deal has been reached to provide its THC-infused sodas to adult travelers on select U.S. flights.<\/p>\n