LOS ANGELES and SAINT JOHN, NB – Civilized Worldwide Inc. (“Civilized”), the leading cannabis lifestyle brand and media company, today announced that it has completed its acquisition of The 420 Games, North America’s only events company that shines a spotlight on the complementary pairing of cannabis and athleticism. As part of the acquisition, The 420 Games are now rebranded as the Civilized Games and will be expanded across several additional cities in the US.
Civilized has acquired 100 per cent of the shares, assets and trademarks of The 420 Games in exchange for an undisclosed amount of stock options in Civilized Worldwide Inc. The transaction closed on Friday, March 22.
“We’re focused on being a world-class lifestyle company, and that can only happen when you have world-class experiences,” says Derek Riedle, Publisher of Civilized. “With Jim McAlpine and The 420 Games now part of the Civilized family, we have yet another great way to deliver on that promise. We can’t wait to get started rolling out the Civilized Games and look forward to announcing new event locations in the months to come.”
Originally created in 2014 as a way to showcase how athletes use cannabis as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle, The 420 Games have become a popular event for amateur and professional athletes alike. In fact, the games have attracted 20,000 ‘cannatheletes’ since their inception in San Francisco in 2014.
“The games have always been about having fun and showing the world that stoner stereotypes just aren’t relevant to a vast majority of cannabis users,” says The 420 Games Founder and cannabis influencer Jim McAlpine. “Our participants are physically active, community-minded, and health and wellness are important to them. This group of people is the new norm. I’m looking forward to working with Civilized and bringing the Civilized Games to life in 2019.”
Over the past few years, Los Angeles, San Diego, Lake Tahoe, Boulder, Denver, Portland, Seattle and Pittsburgh have all hosted The 420 Games. And participants have included NFL great Ricky Williams, pro skateboarding and X Games gold medal winner Bucky Lasek, NBA star Al Harrington, and UFC greats Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten.
McAlpine remains actively involved in the event management of the Games, growth of the cannathlete social movement and continued de-stigmatization of cannabis.
About Civilized Worldwide Inc.:
Civilized is the leading lifestyle media brand that connects millions of cannabis consumers, influencers and the canna-curious with both niche and mainstream content, events and experiences, and fashion. With operations in both Canadaand the United States, Civilized creates original, premium digital content, television and podcasts; builds brands; and creates and produces world-class events and experiences for B2B and B2C audiences. Founded by serial entrepreneur Derek Riedle, Civilized is fast becoming the partner of choice for mainstream brands, and the cultural authority on the exploding global cannabis space. For more information, visit civilized.life.
