SSA Blog: Increasing use of CBD in Elite Rugby: A New Sponsorship Category?

Guest writer Rory Payne gives us his view on CBD in Rugby in terms of both performance and its sponsorship potential.

Rugby Restart has seen Gallagher Premiership and Guinness Pro 14 sides return to competition following their enforced stoppage due to Covid-19. The intense schedule implemented in order to finish the season has seen squads increase player rotation more frequently as they manage player loads recovery and injury.  While player welfare measures have been put in place by World Rugby to reduce the risk associated with collisions, there is little to suggest that collision-induced muscle damage or injury is set to decrease. Players and clubs will therefore continue to seek optimised recovery strategies following matches and training.

Media speculation has suggested that rugby players overuse painkillers to maintain performance through minor injury. While specific data from rugby is limited, it has been shown in academic literature that the use of painkillers amongst athletic populations can be four times higher than the general public (Alaranta et al., 2006).

The side effects (gastric issues, kidney damage) of persistent use of painkillers may pose significant threat to players’ health and performance. It perhaps isn’t a surprise then, that when the positive recovery properties of cannabidiol (CBD), coupled with a seemingly low list of negative side effects were realised, the rugby world started to sit up and listen. CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anxiolytic properties (White, 2019) while the negative effects associated with its use, (tiredness and changes in appetite and weight) are low risk, making it a safe method as a performance supplement.

It’s not quite that simple though. CBD is derived from the hemp strain of the cannabis plant, but so too is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive part of the plant which is on the WADA prohibited substance list (Morales and Reggio, 2019). While the amount of THC in the hemp strain is minimal, trace amounts can be found in some CBD products. In the UK, limits have been set in order to comply with the law and allow athletes confidence in the products. However, reports have shown that some commercially available products still contain unlawful amounts (Gurley et al., 2020).

The implications of this on an athlete using CBD is severe, risking a failed drugs test and a lengthy ban. Therefore, any decision players make when considering using CBD must be done in consultation with their clubs’ sport science and nutrition experts.

Kasper et al. (2020) conducted a study regarding CBD use across both professional rugby codes in Great Britain. The main risk players highlighted for not using CBD was concern about anti-doping rule violations, with other reasons including not being aware of any benefit, not perceiving a need and the club advised against taking it.

Of the 472 players aware of CBD, 26% were using or had used it. CBD use was significantly different across the age groups, with 18-23 reporting lower use than 23-28, and 23-28 lower than 28-33. This is in favour of the suggestion that older players might be more likely to use CBD in their efforts to enhance their recovery in order to maintain elite performance.

The study found that thirteen different CBD brands were being used, all as either oils or capsules, while some players were either unsure of the brand they were using or were mixing multiple brands. There were also differences in the reported concentration of dose taken, with 39% of players unsure of the dose they were taking.

Clearly, there is some work to do from clubs, nutritionists, and CBD producers to better educate players on use. If a brand can prove themselves to be 100% reliable in terms of keeping to WADA standards and transparency about its use, they will reap the rewards of player usage at all levels of the game.

George Kruis and Dominic Day’s CBD company, fourfivecbd, is a potential candidate to stand out to consumers due to their longstanding presence in British rugby and potential association with current players. Whether they will have the budget to start looking into sponsoring a team or more professional players is a different question.

As with many sponsorships, brands will assess the value of individual deals vs club partnerships. The increased interest in the performance aspect and the clearing of CBD to be used by the RFU means it may not be too long before we see a world-class rugby player in a CBD commercial or a Gallagher Premiership side with a CBD producer as their kit sponsor.

As is the case with much of sport since the COVID-19 pandemic, budgets have spiralled downwards, and clubs are in a position where the addition of a new and potentially lucrative sponsorship category would be a big boost. The question is, however, whether an emerging CBD brand would elect to sponsor a club, or to target individual high-profile players to represent their brand?

While high-profile players are always going to be able to drive traditional and digital media and therefore product exposure, the messaging that must accompany how, when and why to use a product such as CBD is easily lost. The opportunity to become the trusted supplier of a club, in order to link with its players but most importantly develop credible messages regarding its use with their sport science team would create a powerful and valuable association.

Comparing this with the sports nutrition market, after an initial scramble for consumers, often based on discounting, it is the brands that have focused on quality of messaging and performance and that have invested in educating the consumer that are thriving. If brands within the CBD industry want to be as successful in sport as the potential suggests they could be, the key will be to use sponsorship to develop trust among the players and performance teams and then leveraging that trust to convey the credible performance story to their wider market. Whoever gets it right, stands to become a major sporting power brand.

Sport Science Agency uses its insight and expertise to tell performance stories and unlocks their value for brands, broadcasters and rights holders. If you want to know more about what we can do for you, drop us a note via info@sportscienceagency.com and we can arrange to go for a healthy vitamin packed drink.