Royals partner with KC-linked CBD brand to tout health benefits of hemp for athletes
June 6, 2023 | Startland News Staff
As an entrepreneur who grew up in Kansas City, teaming up with the Kansas City Royals to promote high-quality CBD products is a dream come true, said Dan Huerter, CEO of Pure Spectrum CBD.
“To be able to work with such an iconic organization and to be a part of promoting health and wellness in my hometown community is an incredible honor,” said Huerter. “We are excited to make a positive impact in the community starting with the launch of this partnership as well as a sponsorship of last weekend’s Big Slick event.”
Pure Spectrum — an organic phytocannabinoid company headquartered in Evergreen, Colorado — emphasizes helping athletes and other professionals safely reach peak performance with CBD products. It now joins the short list of such companies to partner with a professional baseball team. The Royals pairing is only the second in the league, following the April announcement of a Chicago Cubs deal with Mynd Drinks.
Click here to learn more about Pure Spectrum CBD.
“Our partnership with the Royals represents a monumental step forward for the entire industry and illustrates just how far we’ve come,” Lenexa-based Huerter said.
Pure Spectrum and the Royals plan to focus on educating fans about their Endocannabinoid Systems and the potential benefits of CBD for overall wellness, the organizations said.
The partnership includes a variety of in-stadium and community elements. It began June 2 with the grand opening of the Pure Spectrum Lodge, the newest element of the Outfield Experience at Kauffman Stadium. Equipped with fans and misters, the space is designed to give fans a place to relax and watch the game while learning about the positive effects of CBD.
Pure Spectrum served as the presenting partner of Yoga Day June 4 at the K, and is set to be the presenting partner of Ag Night Aug. 1.

Yoga Day at the K sponsored by Pure Spectrum CBD at Kauffman Stadium; photo by Jason Hanna/ Kansas City Royals
“The Kansas City Royals are proud to be just the second MLB team to form a partnership with a company like Pure Spectrum,” said Sarah Tourville, executive vice president, chief commercial and community impact officer of the Kansas City Royals. “For this organization, this opportunity gives us a chance to support a brand with Kansas City ties and to educate the community on the benefits of CBD.”
Pure Spectrum was the first CBD company to partner with a major sports organization when it sponsored the CrossFit Games in 2018. It continued to push boundaries for CBD hemp when it became the first company in the industry to partner with U.S. Olympic Governing bodies, USA Triathlon and USA Weightlifting.
The company’s cannabidiol oil 1250mg tincture recently became NSF Certified for Sport, part of the requirements laid out by MLB.
In 2022, MLB became the first major professional sports league to partner with a CBD company, paving the way for teams across the country.

2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
$1.6M grant will create incubator for low-income, minority entrepreneurs
A large federal grant will help reanimate an older industrial building in Kansas City to serve as a small business incubator. The U.S. Economic Development Administration recently awarded a $1.6 million grant to the Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri. The Kansas City organization said that the grant should create about 90 new…
Kauffman report: KC ranks 28 out of 40 in entrepreneurial growth
Fewer Kansas City companies are growing to become medium- or large-sized firms, according to a report released Thursday by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. It’s a common story across the U.S., as the nation rebounds from the slump of the Great Recession, the report says. The 2017 Kauffman Index of Growth Entrepreneurship report suggests the…
Housing trends show young professionals don’t care about Troost’s stigma, UC-B says
Lance Carlton initially was skeptical of developing east of Troost Avenue, he said. “But the mentality of the market has changed,” said Carlton, co-managing partner of UC-B Properties, which brought its offices to the 4300 block of Troost in August 2016. The company helped prove an appetite for residential development on the corridor with 19…
Mac Properties plans four-corner food startup village at Armour and Troost
Mac Properties’ Kansas City arm wants to turn a “sleepy intersection” on Troost into a four-corner incubator for thriving residential and restaurant activity. The vision is to create a “food startup village” as the foundation of the development, which would bring 400 new market rate apartments to Armour Boulevard and Troost, said Peter Cassel, director…

