A day after Snoop Dogg announced that he has aligned himself with Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks in a bid to purchase the Ottawa Senators, the rapper told ESPN’s First Take that he had even more in store if he was to purchase the club.
Joining hosts Molly Qerim and Stephen A. Smith on Tuesday morning, the longtime hockey fan said he wants to help build a youth hockey program to help kids get into the game.
“I’ve been watching hockey for about 25 years now. And I’m watching more and more kids that look like me play the game,” Snoop said. “But I’m not seeing it being offered to the kids over here in America. I know how big it is in Canada. So this opportunity came in order for me to like be a part of the ownership of Ottawa Senators. So I jumped on it.
“The plan that we have is to also go and build a snoop Youth Hockey League outside of Canada,” he continued. “So kids in urban communities can learn about hockey, can play the sport and find ways to get into this great thing that’s called hockey. Because right now the NBA, and the NHL is having some great playoff games, and the kids need to know that there is an option to play hockey.”
Dogg has made his love for the sport very clear over his career. In the music video for his 1994 single "Gin and Juice," Snoop had on a black Pittsburgh Penguins jersey in some scenes, and a blue Springfield Indians AHL jersey in others. He also has commentated on NHL broadcasts, in EA Sports NHL video games and has performed at various events, including the 2017 All-Star game.
But owning a team would be quite special for the American rap legend.
“I have relationships with people who’ve done things like this,” he said. “But never like this. Never like to say we can actually own a franchise and change the face of hockey.”
Snoop also operates a youth football league, an organization Snoop considers to be a massive success.
“When I started the Snoop Youth Football League in 2005, moving the clock up to today, we’ve sent over 20,000 kids to Division 1 (NCAA) programs,” Snoop said. “We got so many graduates. And just recently C.J. Stroud, the No. 2 draft pick, is a kid out of our football league. So we’re watching the great works that is done in these communities that were gang-ridden, that had single parents that were sort of kind of like poverty-stricken. But now through football and sports, we find a way to become more family and more organized and to find ways to do things.”
Last week, news surfaced that Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group had placed a $1 billion bid to purchase the Senators. The next round of proposals will be set in two weeks.
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