Drake has long been connected with the sports world, most notably via his love (and since 2013, official role as an ambassador) for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. Now, he’s honoring some of his home city’s most beloved athletes as his brand October’s Very Own (OVO) announces the “Hometown Heroes Collection.”
OVO
The new merch drop honors “the legendary athletes who have shaped the city’s sports and culture,” per a press release. The ten-piece collection includes hoodies, t-shirts, and basketball and hockey jerseys featuring OVO branding, in partnership with the Raptors and the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs.
OVO is launching the collection with a campaign highlighting three Toronto favorites: former Toronto Maples Leafs captain Mats Sundin and former Raptors Muggsy Bogues and Morris Peterson.
OVO
The Hometown Heroes collection will be able to shop on the OVO website and at OVO flagship stores in the US, Canada, and UK, starting today, September 27, at 10 a.m. ET. Prices range from $68 to $198 USD.
Meanwhile, it was recently reported that on multiple occasions, Drake has turned down an invitation to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Jamil “Mal” Clay of the New Rory & Mal podcast claimed, “Drake has been offered the Super Bowl show for some years now and has turned it down. Probably four years, he’s been offered to perform at the Super Bowl, said no for whatever reason.”
Several reports have confirmed that longtime Calgary Flames player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were struck by a drunk driver and killed while cycling through their hometown in New Jersey just hours before their sister was scheduled to get married.
According to NJ State Police who were on the scene, “Troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash at 8:19 PM on County Route 551 North, milepost 11.1 Oldmans Township, Salem County. Based on a preliminary investigation, two pedalcyclists, John M. Gaudreau, a 31-year-old male from Carneys Point, N.J., and Matthew R. Gaudreau, a 29-year-old male from Pedricktown, N.J., were traveling north on County Route 551, close to the fog line of the roadway. Sean M. Higgins, a 43-year-old male from Woodstown, N.J., was traveling north on CR 551 in a Jeep Grand Cherokee behind a sedan and SUV.”
They continued, “Higgins attempted to pass the slower-moving sedan and SUV, entered the southbound lanes of travel, passed the slower-moving sedan, and attempted to re-enter the northbound lanes of travel when the SUV in front of Higgins moved to the middle of the roadway, splitting the north and south lanes to safely pass the two pedalcyclist traveling north on the right side of the roadway. Higgins then attempted to pass the SUV on the right and struck the two pedalcyclists in the rear. As a result of the collision, the two pedalcyclists sustained fatal injuries.Through further investigation, Higgins was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol, charged with two counts of death by auto, and lodged in the Salem County Correctional Facility. This crash remains an active investigation, and no additional information is available.”
Katie Gaudreau, the sister of the Gaudreau brothers, and Devin Joyce were slated to exchange nuptials on Friday(August 30) afternoon, but due to the recent tragedy the wedding has been cancelled.
Johnny and Matthew were both set to be groomsmen in their sister’s wedding and were just present at the wedding’s rehearsal on Thursday night. Johnny’s children were also listed as the wedding’s flower girl and ring bearer. Johnny’s wife and other sister were named one of the maids of honor.
Johnny, who was popularly recognized as “Johnny Hockey”, played nine out of his eleven season in the NHL with the Flames besides the last two seasons, which he played with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who issued a statement about his untimely passing. The team said they were “shocked and devastated” by the tragedy while calling Johnny a great hockey player. More importantly, they said Johnny loved his family and offered their support to his grieving relatives.
Other NHL players and athletes across the sports spectrum, including Lebron James, paid tribute to the NHL great and how heartbreaking the loss of Gaudreau and his family to the sports community.
Depending on who you ask, Drake is one of the unluckiest guys in the world. Yes, he has a lot of money and he’s extremely famous, but when it comes to aligning himself with winning sports teams and athletes who are able to come out on top, well, he doesn’t always look great.
Is there actually some sort of supernatural force that works against Drake and the teams he gets behind? Probably not, unless Kendrick Lamar is far more powerful than I originally anticipated. But unfortunately for Drake, the two huge bets that he made on the two major American sports leagues that crowned a champion this month went kaput, as he posted the following picture to his Instagram account back at the beginning of June.
“Dallas cause I’m a Texan,” Drake wrote in his comment. “Oilers are self explanatory.”
The Mavericks, of course, only took one game off of the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, and actually got blown out (twice) more than they won. As such, the Celtics were able to win their 18th championship in only five games.
Edmonton was a slightly different story. The team looked like it was going to get swept in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, but they were able to rally and win three games in a row to force a decisive Game 7 back in Florida. Unfortunately for the Oilers, they were unable to finish off their miracle comeback, as the Panthers were able to win a cagey game on their home ice, 2-1, en route to lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
The Stanley Cup of the NHL and the NBA’s Larry O’Brien Trophy met as part of Larry’s “2023 NBA Finals Bucket List Tour.”
With new friends, the MLB Commissioner’s Trophy and the MLS Philip F. Anschutz Trophy, they dined on sandwiches at Katz’s Deli (the location of a famous scene from the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan) before the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final, respectively, which marked the culmination of their respective seasons. They rode the subway together and went to Times Square and the Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park.
The 2023 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV on June 1 is the Larry O’Brien Trophy’s ultimate destination. Throughout the exciting NBA Playoffs, the Larry O’Brien Trophy has been engaging NBA fans around the world on its “2023 NBA Finals Bucket List Tour,” immersing itself in some of the most prestigious events and meeting fascinating people along the way.
The race for the Ottawa Senators turned into a celebrity frenzy over the past few weeks. First, Ryan Reynolds, who previously received a key to the city, announced that he’d be placing a bid behind the NHL team. Surprisingly, he wasn’t the biggest A-Lister to try and gain a stake in the Sens. Snoop Dogg, out of all people, announced that he joined forces with Neko Sparks to place a bid behind Ottawa’s hockey team. The Weeknd, too, placed a bid behind the team, but there’s no doubt that Snoop Dogg’s been the most aggressive in his pursuit.
The Senators’ connection to hip-hop runs a bit deeper than Snoop Dogg and The Weeknd. In fact, one might argue that it’s Belly that is an indirect catalyst. In 2007, the Senators fought their way to the Stanley Cup finals against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. As excitement built in the “town that fun forgot,” Belly became the celebrity face of the franchise for the playoffs. So what exactly does Belly think of Snoop Dogg’s bid for the Sens? “Snoop Dogg is an amazing person, a great businessman and we gon’ be able to smoke weed in the stadium! So, I’m all for it,” he told HotNewHipHop. “Smoking weed in the box, for sure… RIP Ray Emery.”
Belly’s Ties To The Ottawa Senators
TORONTO, ON – JUNE 19: Belly and Snoop Dogg attend CP Records & EBA 2011 MuchMusic Video Awards After Party at Live Nightclub on June 19, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Sonia Recchia/WireImage)
When Belly penned the Sens’ playoff anthem, “Go Sens Go,” he had not reached the same type of success he sees now outside of Canada. Around this time, Belly also began to form a relationship with Snoop Dogg after touring with the rap legend across Canada. The same night of his homecoming show, the late Ray Emery presented Snoop Dogg with a custom jersey that he’s recently flaunted during his campaign for the Sens.
Belly’s fresh off of the release of his album, Mumble Rap 2, the sequel to his 2017 mixtape. The rapper’s latest project boasts appearances from XO labelmate Nav, Gucci Mane, Rick Ross, and a posthumous appearance from Gil-Scott Heron. It marks one of Belly’s final projects before he retires from the music industry as a whole but rests assured, he still has big plans up his sleeve.
The Arizona Coyotes have been in arena limbo since the end of the 2022 season. After 19 years at the Gila River Arena, the Coyotes needed to find a new home. Plans to build a new stadium in Tempe had hit multiple roadblocks over the years. As a result, the Coyotes found themselves playing at Mullett Arena, the home of Arizona State. However, the capacity for NHL games has been capped at 4600.
A new plan for an arena in Tempe was formed, but it would require public funding. That meant that the Coyotes would need local voters to approve a ballot measure. If successful, this would divert tax dollars to the project. The Coyotes needed majorities on three ballot proposals to get the green light on the new arena. The estimated cost for the full project is believed to be $2.1 billion.
Voters Reject New Stadium
TEMPE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 28: General view outside of Mullett Arena before the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Winnipeg Jets on October 28, 2022 in Tempe, Arizona. The Coyotes will use Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena for the next three seasons while a permanent arena deal is finalized. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
However, it wasn’t to be. According to electoral sources, around 56% of voters chose to reject the three ballot proposals relating to the new arena. “We are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve Propositions 301, 302, and 303,” CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a statement. “While we wanted a different outcome, we remain grateful to all those who volunteered their time and talent. What is next for the franchise will be evaluated by our owners and the National Hockey League over the coming weeks.”
The immediate future appears to be another season at Mullett Arena. “I don’t envision a scenario in which the Coyotes are not playing in Mullett Arena next season,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN in an email. However, beyond that, the future is uncertain. Relocation will become a much more likely scenario. If they were to move out of Arizona, it would be the NHL’s first relocation since the Atlanta Thrashers in 2011. There are several strong contenders for potential relocation, such as Houston, and Milwaukee. However, that is purely speculation and the immediate plan appears to be to try and make things work in Arizona. Despite this goal, the rejection of the ballot proposals is a major blow to an ailing franchise.
This morning, May 4, The Athleticspoke with Snoop Dogg about the validity of his involvement.
“This ain’t no joke or no gimmick — or an image or likeness play. This is a real ownership play,” he told reporter Ian Mendes. “And Snoop will put his foot in the town.” (You know it’s serious when someone busts out third-person.)
Is this a PR stunt?
Why doesn’t he buy a team in Atlanta or Houston?
What about the hockey side?
There have been questions floating around Snoop’s interest in the Sens.
In his first interview with an Ottawa reporter, he provided me with some answers. https://t.co/mOipvLutE9
“I want Ottawa because Ottawa wants me. 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. […]
“I love the city. Every time I’ve come through the city, they’ve rolled out the red carpet for me. The fans, the city. Everyone. It’s been nothing but love. When you go around the world as much as I have, there are certain places that stick out in your heart. Everywhere I go in Canada, it’s always been love, but there’s something about Ottawa. And the opportunity for the team to be bought? It’s impeccable timing right now.”
He described his potential role in ownership as “a community activist,” and Senators fans or Ottawa residents at large could expect to “become family.”
Per The Athletic‘s initial reporting on May 1, the Senators are expected to draw a sale “eclipsing $1 billion, although it is unclear how much of a financial stake Snoop has put into the group.”
Snoop made the emotional stakes clear while appearing on Tuesday’s (May 2) episode of First Take on ESPN. Watch clips below.
“The kids need to know that there is an option to play hockey if you look like me” @SnoopDogg on why joining the @Senators ownership bid matters to him.
Of all the names you’d expect to see in a bidding war over a National Hockey League team, Snoop Dogg and Ryan Reynolds might not be the unlikeliest, but the news is sure to raise at least a few eyebrows. The Athletic reports Snoop has joined an ownership group bidding on the Ottawa Senators opposite Ryan Reynolds’ group, which is reportedly bidding $1 billion for the club and supposedly includes its own musician, The Weeknd. Snoop’s proposed partner in the investment, an indie film producer named Neko Sparks, wants to be the NHL’s first Black owner.
With Snoop as his partner, that goal could be within reach; Snoop’s sweeteners for their deal include his services as an analyst — Chance The Rapper’s recurring SNL character Lazlo Holmes springs to mind here — as well as a rinkside fixture throughout the 2023-2024 season. Certainly, the opportunity to see Snoop in person could boost attendance; likewise, his hilarious sideline commentary at previous hockey games has spawned numerous memes, which could help viewership of televised games.
On Instagram, Snoop reiterated his interest, writing, “Amazing what Neko Sparks is trying to do in Ottawa & I’m looking forward to being a part of that ownership team. I wanna bring hockey to our community.” He already sponsors youth football in his hometown and loves taking part in basketball, boxing, wrestling, and even video gaming events, so if anyone has both the clout and the experience to get Black people watching hockey en masse (again, see Lazlo Holmes), it’s Snoop.
