Snoop Dogg on Ottawa Senators Bid: 'This Ain't No Gimmick'

NHL fans were surprised earlier this week when a report in The Athletic revealed that Long Beach, CA rapper Snoop Dogg is involved in Los Angeles entrepreneur Neko Sparks' bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators. Now, the rapper has spoken publicly about why he's looking for a stake in the NHL in a new conversation with The Athletic.

Snoop started off by emphasizing he's serious about the bid. "This ain’t no joke or no gimmick," he says. "Or an image or likeness play. This is a real ownership play. And Snoop will put his foot in the town."

Although Snoop is a longtime hockey fan—even donning a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in his 1994 "Gin & Juice" video—some questioned the rapper's connection to Ottawa, a city far from his hometown. 

"I want Ottawa because Ottawa wants me," he says. "It's a thriving city. The team is going to make a U-turn once we get ownership. The players are inspired. The community is inspired. I felt like this is what Ottawa needs."

Snoop says he's always felt welcomed in the Canadian city, and has a longtime connection to its hockey team. He still owns a Ray Emery jersey gifted to him years ago, and displays a photo of himself wearing an Erik Karlsson jersey at Ottawa Bluesfest in 2014 in his gym. He told The Athletic he would plan to visit the city six to 10 times per year to work on various community initiatives and attend games.

He's entering with a plan to promote the team's stars, too. "When Snoop comes into an organization, he knows how to take that player, take their star power and make him go," he asserts. Snoop also says he wants to push more hockey programs for kids, since that wasn't something offered to him growing up in Long Beach. 

"At the end of the day, that’s why I want to be a part of it. Because it’s a great sport with great leadership and for me to join would make a lot of sense," he adds.

Snoop joins more than a dozen investors in Sparks' bid, which is aiming to become one of the most diverse ownership groups in the NHL. ESPN reports that the sale could command north of $1 billion, a potential NHL record. A competing bid from Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group is also expected. 

You can check out his full interview with The Athletic.