Snoop Dogg has emerged as a potential suitor to take away Ryan Reynolds’ bid for ownership of a second professional sports franchise.
The hiphop icon has joined the bidding group of Los Angeles-based businessman Neko Sparks in an effort to acquire the Ottawa Senators of the NHL, according to Ian Mendes of The Athletic. The same franchise is set to receive a $1 billion bid by The Remington Group, which Reynolds leads.
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Snoop’s stake in the franchise is not clear, but a source told The Athletic that Sparks group is not intimidated by the billion-dollar asking price.
The next round of bidding for Senators is in two weeks and Snoop’s presence may boost the Sparks group’s chances. There’s also belief that Snoop may reel in additional high-profile investors into the bidding group.
The rapper’s involvement, and any additional big names, could provide a huge bonus to the future marketing of the team, similar to the way Reynolds was able to swiftly grow Wrexham FC in English soccer.
Diversity in the sport of hockey is a driving force on why Snoop is interested in making the purchase. The NHL has a very small percentage of players who are people of color, and Snoop wants to give accessibility to the league to people from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds.
“He’s passionate about trying to make this game affordable for visible minorities and kids in low-income areas who haven’t been able to play hockey in the past,” a source told The Athletic.
