Potheads aren't usually the first choice in a pick-up game of tag, football, kickball, softball... well, any sport.

But for those benchwarmers and sideline smokers boasting a great deal of lung capacity, now there's an athletic event to call their own: Founded by a group of like-minded friends of the foliage, the 420FL has become a hot ticket for fans of superstar grassletes to watch live and online.

Complete with a roster of hardcore tokers, a commissioner, official rules and regulations, stylish trading cards and sanctioned tournaments, players gain yardage by holding their illegal inhalations for as long as possible; extra points are earned by a player's ability to eye and scale an eighth.

As you might imagine, this relatively new and provocative pastime has already raised a few red flags with the people who are in charge of regulating the more conventional National Football League.



Henry Hemp (aka Magic Elligson), a co-founding member of and spokesperson for the 420FL, tells Asylum that the NFL wasn't too pleased with similarities between the two organizations' logos and quickly issued Hemp and his team a cease and desist letter.

"We applied for a trademark on our logo with the U.S. patent and trademark office," he recounts. "After nine months of waiting, [they] approved our logo and were ready to give us the trademark. Then, the NFL blocked the trademark because they said it was too close to theirs and they would take us to court if we registered it. We are still in negotiations with the NFL."

Hemp says in spite of the controversy, the whole 420FL idea is to spread a proactive message while dousing the flames of misinformation. "The sole purpose of this sport was to bring the 420 community together in a safe way and promote togetherness, fun and positivity. We believe that, in this sport, there are no losers and everyone is a winner!"

One of the 420FL star players, Southern California–based rapper Weston "Ditch" Frey, says he was even unexpectedly banned from the Spearmint Rhino in Vegas after he left a few of his playing cards lying around.

The colorful cards, such as the one Ditch is featured on, leave little to the imagination, featuring a player profile picture, bio and the contentious 420 logo. But Ditch doesn't see a reason for all the fuss.

"This card isn't selling weed. I don't sell weed. I don't own a clinic," he explains. "This card is promoting me as an artist associated with a marijuana board game that isn't even played in public."

Neither the NFL nor Spearmint Rhino returned our request for comment. Henry Hemp says 420FL commissioner Robert Roy Sherman issued a letter to NFL Properties, LLC stating the 420FL's position that marijuana is a very misunderstood and stereotyped subject, and that the logo design was not meant to interfere with the NFL in any way. He has, however, moved to revise the 420FL logo so it does not resemble any other organization's symbol.

According to the closing paragraph of Sherman's letter, "We also stand behind the fact that marijuana does much less social damage than many legal substances that embraced by most, such as alcohol. There is no need to state the many social damages and ills that alcohol continues to perpetuate but still does not seem to tarnish the image of any major sport or company."