Snoop Dogg Joins Neko Sparks' Group Bidding for Senators Ownership

Snoop Dogg has entered the bidding for the Ottawa Senators.

The famous rapper confirmed on Instagram that he had joined the bidding group led by Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks in hopes of becoming part-owner of the Canadian NHL franchise.

The Athletic's Ian Mendes first reported the news.

"He's passionately involved. He's coming up with ideas. And he's legitimately excited," a source told The Athletic of Snoop's involvement. "He wants this team."

The group led by Sparks "is not intimidated" by the potential of the final sale price of the franchise to reach more than $1 billion, according to The Athletic. However, it's unclear how much Snoop Dogg has contributed financially.

The Sparks group is also hoping to become one of the most diverse ownership groups in the NHL. It already includes more than 12 investors, the majority of which are people of color, according to The Athletic.

Snoop Dogg is hoping to use his celebrity status "to amplify and grow" the Senators brand, per The Athletic. He has more than 100 million followers across Twitter and Instagram.

The 51-year-old is also particularly interested in "marketing hockey to families from diverse backgrounds in the Ottawa area—and beyond—who haven't necessarily been targeted by the sport in the past."

"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. "He wants to be community-oriented."

Snoop Dogg has become ingrained in hockey culture over the last several years, though during the early stages of his career he rocked a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in the 1994 music video for "Gin and Juice."

Since then, Snoop Dogg has been involved in various NHL initiatives.

In 2018, he published a video series on NHL.com, dubbed "Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg," where he explained various NHL rules, including icing and offside, in addition to hockey slang and traditions. In 2019, he was included in the EA Sports' NHL video game as a commentator.

The California native has also teamed up with the Los Angeles Kings in the past for several initiatives, including being a DJ and a commentator.

The next round of bidding for the Senators is due in two weeks, and the Sparks consortium will be competing with actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group, among others, for the rights to the franchise.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported Friday that the Remington Group was preparing to make an offer for the Senators worth more than $1 billion.

The Melnyk family, which owns the Senators, hired Galatioto Sports Partners, a New York-based banker, last year to explore a potential sale of the franchise. Eugene Melnyk, who purchased the Sens in 2003 for $93 million, died in March 2022, and the team was left to his two children, though it is being run by a three-person board.

The Senators are valued at $800 million, according to Forbes' list of 2022 NHL team values. If purchased for more than $1 billion, it would top the $900 million Fenway Sports Group paid for the Pittsburgh Penguins in November 2021.

The Sens have been one of the most disappointing NHL franchises over the last several seasons, and there had been calls for Melnyk to sell the team prior to his death. Ottawa has not made the postseason since the 2016-17 campaign and is coming off a 2022-23 season in which it finished sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 39-35-8 record.