Thirty Five Ventures, an investment firm and media company founded by NBA star Kevin Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman, have inked a multiyear deal with Weedmaps in a bid to destigmatize the cannabis industry.
Weedmaps, dubbed the “Yelp for pot,” is a public company and e-commerce platform for cannabis and related items that also helps consumers locate dispensaries.
The partnership with Thirty Five Ventures and its sports business media company Boardroom, will include creating podcasts and video series that will aim to “deconstruct the negative stereotypes” associated with cannabis and conversations around “the plant’s potential for athlete wellness and recovery.”
The issue has been in the spotlight in recent months after track sensation Sha’Carri Richardson tested positive for marijuana use and was kept from competing in the Tokyo Olympics.
Thirty Five Ventures’ Kleiman told The Post that he had been talking with Durant about how “antiquated” testing for marijuana use is in professional sports.
Getty Images
While cannabis is legal in many states and has been widely used for medicinal purposes, Kleiman noted the disconnect of the “scary reality.” He pointed to how frequently the Brooklyn Nets star has been tested in the NBA and in the Olympics, as well as the sad fate of Richardson’s Olympic run this year.
“We are all pretty smart to know that cannabis in no way enhances your performance,” Kleiman said. “The whole fact of the matter that this is a broken system was only amplified with Sha’Carri Richardson. It cemented how important this deal is.”
“Now more than ever, there is so much opportunity for growth in the cannabis industry as well as the removal of any remaining stigmas around its use,” said Durant, who will tap his network of friends and fellow athletes to help with the partnership.
The duo had been talking with Weedmaps Chief Executive Chris Beals roughly six months earlier about ways to educate the public and lawmakers about cannabis and its benefits.
Durant, Kleiman and Beals on Boardroom’s Out of Office podcast discussing their new partnership deal.
Jabari Jacobs
Beals said that while Weedmaps may not be a “household name,” it is one of the largest public companies in the cannabis space. In its 13-year history, the company has helped influence cannabis policy, as well as impact weed culture via educational documentaries about the industry.
“As one of the largest technology providers in the sector, we are serious about our responsibility to lead the national discussion around cannabis and the need for cannabis regulations to be updated across the board,” said Beals. “This partnership with Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman, and the team at Thirty Five Ventures is a pivotal step forward in our ongoing efforts to break down stigmas surrounding cannabis, especially in the sports industry.”
The first major project is an original series slated for 2022. The execs said to also lookout for cannabis-inspired episodes on Boardroom’s Out of Office podcast — it uploaded its first of many on Thursday — as well as co-branded events and exclusive merchandise.
