Snoop Dog and Neko Sparks bid to buy Ottawa Sparks

Rapper and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg has partnered with businessman Neko Sparks to buy the Ottawa Senators, a National Hockey League (NHL) team, in a quest to become the first Black owners. The expected sale price of the team could exceed a billion dollars, according to ESPN. Sparks has reportedly gathered an ownership group that includes several people of color. If successful in purchasing the Senators, Sparks would become the first Black owner in NHL history. Canadian-American actor and film producer Ryan Reynolds, a part of the Remington Group, is also interested in purchasing the NHL team.

The NHL has been seeking to attract non-white fans to hockey for years, and if Snoop Dogg and Sparks successfully purchase the Senators, it could provide a boost for the league. The Senators are currently valued at $655 million, and the expected winning bid of $1 billion would set a new record for the purchase of an NHL franchise. Final bids for the team are due on May 15, and it is rumored that as many as seven groups are in contention to purchase the Senators.