via the CP at TSN,
A celebrity bidding war for a minority ownership stake in the NHL's Ottawa Senators stands to lift the team's profile to new heights, while serving as a safe way for stars to park their money.
Experts say that while some hockey fans may be surprised to see names such as Ryan Reynolds, Snoop Dogg and reportedly The Weeknd throw their hats into the ring, the opportunity to own one of just 32 NHL teams doesn't come around often.
Associate professor of sport management at Brock University Michael Naraine says having one of the celebrities involved in the Senators would give the eastern Ontario franchise new exposure in non-traditional markets.
Reynolds, who has been attached to a bid worth more than US$1 billion led by real estate developer Remington Group, has expressed interest in creating a television series about the team similar to his production company's hit reality show, “Welcome to Wrexham,” about the Welsh soccer team the actor co-owns.
When I first saw that Snoop was interested in the Senators, I thought it was a joke. But the more I read his comments about Ottawa as a city and about hockey in general, I think he'd be a great partner for the new ownership group.
If the League really wants to promote diversity, having someone like Snoop involved would be a huge plus. Having players skate around during warmups in "pride jerseys" is just meaningless virtue signaling. Snoop's involvement would show real commitment not from the League but from a well-known minority. That's how change happens.
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