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By: Jared Evan
Some New York parents are voicing outrage after cannabis advertisements aired during recent New York Mets broadcasts on SNY, but critics of the backlash say the complaints may be overlooking one rather obvious reality: sports fans have been bombarded with alcohol commercials for generations without nearly the same level of handwringing.
According to reporting by the New York Post, SNY has recently aired advertisements for Strain Stars, a licensed New York cannabis retailer, during Mets telecasts as the struggling team continues its rough early-season stretch. The ads promote legal marijuana products and include discounts and special offers for adult customers over 21.
The New York Post reported that some parents and political critics are upset that the ads are appearing during baseball games, arguing that younger viewers could be exposed to promotions for cannabis products.
That concern would carry more weight, some observers note, if sports broadcasts weren’t already packed wall-to-wall with commercials for beer, whiskey, sports betting apps and other adult-oriented products. Anyone who has watched a Mets game — or just about any sporting event over the past several decades — has likely seen endless pitches for cold beer, liquor brands and online gambling platforms.
Apparently, some of these concerned adults have only just discovered how television advertising works.
The New York Post noted that Republican congressional candidate Greg Hach criticized New York Democrats and regulators for allowing the ads, saying baseball is supposed to be a wholesome family tradition. But while the concern about children’s exposure is understandable, others point out that televised sports have long featured promotions for products children cannot legally purchase. Beer ads during football, baseball and basketball broadcasts are practically as traditional as the seventh-inning stretch.
As the New York Post reported, Strain Stars co-owner Arsh Singh defended the ads, saying they fully comply with New York State regulations and are specifically designed for adult audiences, not minors. The company says its marketing is focused on informing legal-age consumers about licensed cannabis options and steering buyers away from New York’s still-massive illegal marijuana market.
New York’s cannabis marketing rules prohibit advertisements that directly target minors or use cartoon-like imagery, toy references, or youth-focused branding. State regulators have established audience-composition requirements intended to ensure the overwhelming majority of viewers are adults.
The New York Post also reported that New York’s legal cannabis market has grown rapidly, topping millions in daily sales as licensed operators continue expanding across the state.
For many Mets fans, the bigger concern may not be what’s airing during commercial breaks but what’s happening on the field.
With the Mets stumbling through a frustrating stretch, some joked that viewers might need something stronger than a pregame beer just to sit through late-inning bullpen collapses.
The New York Post highlighted how the controversy reflects the broader adjustment taking place as legalized cannabis becomes more normalized in mainstream advertising.
