NHL Legend Mark Messier Partners With NXT Water To Promote Akeso CBD Water

Pro hockey legend Mark Messier is joining NXT Water as an equity partner and brand captain.

The renown athlete has opted to endorse NXT's Akeso CBD water — an all-natural plant-powered beverage containing 10 miligrams of broad-spectrum hemp-derived CBD.

Messier, who played for some 25 years with several National Hockey League (NHL) teams including the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver Canucks, agreed to team up with Akeso to work on branding as well as advertising and marketing campaigns.

The company also plans to open new sales and distribution channels as a part of a collaboration with the six-time Stanley Cup champion.

Los Angles-based NXT launched AKESO Hemp Powered Hydration in September.

The hemp water has no sugar or artificial additives.

Messier said Monday he discovered CBD upon retiring.

"Twenty-six years of playing professional hockey at the highest level takes its toll on you both mentally and physically, and when I retired from the sport, I made a commitment to educate myself on the best natural ways to keep both my mind and body in the best possible condition, including healing my body from inflammation," Messier explained.

"Once I met the NXT Water team and tried Akeso, I knew I had to become involved in the brand," he revealed.

Messier is just one of many sports stars to back CBD-related startups and brands. 

Olympic gold medalist and two-time Women's World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe recently became Mendi’s first signed Athlete Ambassador, as well as a board advisor.

Rapinoe's twin sister Rachel is the CEO of Mendi.

Last year, pro golfer Rickie Fowler became the newest ambassador for Kadenwood LLC, a consumer seed-to-shelf CBD company. Around that time, retired Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre signed on to be a brand ambassador for Green Eagle, a CBD brand that makes creams, roll-ons, sprays, liquid capsules and salve sticks.