SNY Airs Cannabis Ads During Mets Games as Parents Push Back

SNY Becomes First Major Regional Sports Network to Run Dispensary Ads

SportsNet New York aired its first cannabis commercials during Mets games in May 2026, breaking ground for regional sports broadcasting. The spots began running during the network's coverage of the team's recent homestand. They feature New York-licensed dispensaries advertising flower, pre-rolls, and vape products. SNY confirmed the ad buys to the New York Post but declined to name specific advertisers or disclose the campaign's dollar value.

The network joins a small but growing list of sports broadcasters testing cannabis advertising. National networks including ESPN and Turner Sports have run cannabis ads during late-night programming, but SNY's daytime game slots represent new territory for the category.

Ads Air During Family Viewing Hours, Drawing Parent Complaints

The commercials run during afternoon and early-evening games, time slots that traditionally draw family audiences. Parents Against Cannabis Marketing, a New York-based advocacy group, filed a formal complaint with the state Office of Cannabis Management on May 22, saying the placements violate OCM guidance discouraging ads where more than 30% of the audience is under 21.

"We're not anti-legalization," said Rachel Mendez, the group's founder. "But a 3 p.m. Sunday game is not the place for a vape ad. Kids are watching."

Nielsen data for SNY's Mets broadcasts show an average audience composition of 18% viewers aged 2-20 during weekend day games, below the OCM's 30% threshold. Weeknight games skew older.

New York's Advertising Rules Allow Sports Placements

New York's cannabis advertising regulations permit TV spots as long as the audience is at least 70% adult. The state's framework, finalized in 2024, explicitly allows sports programming placements and doesn't restrict ads by time of day. OCM spokesperson Jenna Roth told the Post the agency has received the complaint and is reviewing the Nielsen data.

"Our rules are audience-based, not content-based," Roth said. "If the data shows compliance, the ads are permissible."

The OCM hasn't issued guidance specific to live sports, leaving broadcasters to interpret the 70% adult standard on a per-program basis. That ambiguity has created a patchwork: some New York stations run cannabis ads freely during late-night slots, while others have declined all cannabis buys pending clearer rules.

Dispensaries See Sports as High-Value Inventory

Licensed operators view sports broadcasts as premium ad real estate. They offer scale and brand safety that digital platforms can't match. One Bronx-based dispensary owner, speaking on background, said his store's SNY buy during a recent Mets-Phillies series drove a 22% uptick in weekend foot traffic.

"You can't buy that kind of reach on Instagram," he said. "And there's no algorithm risk. The ad runs."

Sports inventory also sidesteps the content moderation challenges that plague cannabis advertisers on Meta and Google, both of which maintain near-total bans on cannabis ads despite state-level legalization. For New York dispensaries competing in an oversaturated market—the state issued more than 400 retail licenses in 2025—TV offers a rare path to mass awareness.

Other Networks Watching SNY's Experiment Closely

Regional sports networks in California, Illinois, and Massachusetts are monitoring SNY's rollout as they weigh their own cannabis ad policies. A programming director at a West Coast RSN told CannIntel his network has fielded inquiries from three California dispensary groups in the past month but hasn't yet accepted any buys.

"We're waiting to see if SNY takes heat from the league," he said.

Major League Baseball hasn't issued a public statement on cannabis advertising during broadcasts, and the league's sponsorship guidelines don't explicitly address dispensary commercials. The NBA and NHL have both allowed arena signage for licensed operators in legal states, but neither league has cleared TV ads during live games. SNY's test case could set a precedent.

Advocacy Groups Push for Stricter Time-of-Day Limits

Parents Against Cannabis Marketing is calling on the OCM to adopt time-based restrictions similar to alcohol advertising rules. The group's May 22 complaint asks the agency to prohibit cannabis ads before 9 p.m., mirroring the voluntary standard most broadcasters apply to liquor spots.

"Audience composition is a weak metric," Mendez said. "A kid watching at 3 p.m. sees the same ad as an adult. The state needs a bright-line rule."

The OCM hasn't indicated whether it will revisit its advertising framework. The agency's 2024 rulemaking process drew more than 1,200 public comments, many of which urged stricter ad placement limits. The final rules favored industry flexibility over prescriptive time slots.

What's Next for Cannabis Ads in Sports

The OCM's response to the Parents Against Cannabis Marketing complaint will signal how aggressively New York enforces its 70% adult standard. If the agency greenlights SNY's placements, expect a wave of similar buys across New York sports broadcasts this summer. If it doesn't, dispensaries will retreat to late-night slots and digital channels.

For more on cannabis advertising regulations and sports partnerships, see the CannIntel topic hub on cannabis advertising in sports.

The next data point: OCM's formal ruling on the complaint, expected within 30 days. That decision will either open the floodgates or slam them shut.