Lisa Vanderpump Pump Restaurant Closing Its Doors ... Blame Our Landlord!!!
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Lisa Vanderpump's famous Pump Restaurant Lounge in West Hollywood is closing up shop.
The Pump Family tells TMZ ... "It's with heavy hearts that we announce that the lease at Pump Restaurant is expiring, and we will be closing its doors on July 5th, after 10 years of beautiful evenings under our olive trees."
While the flagship location at the corner of Santa Monica and Robertson in the heart of WeHo is closing, we're told Lisa is opening two more restaurants at Caesars in Las Vegas.
It appears a dramatic increase in rent is to blame, the Pump Family tells us ... "While we have loved our time operating Pump, to take on another 10-year lease with a huge increase in rent by the landlords, is not something we are ready to commit to. After successfully running 37+ establishments for many years, this type of rent is untenable."
Sources close to the family tell TMZ … Lisa and her husband Ken Todd refused to commit to paying nearly $1 million in yearly rent, with the couple considering the figure to be ridiculous.
Our sources say high rent is also to blame for Lisa and Ken's former Beverly Hills restaurant, Villa Blanca remaining empty 3 years after the couple closed the restaurant because of a rent increase in 2020.
We're told Lisa wanted to keep Pump open through June, because it's Pride Month and she wants to "support the local community with one last hurrah."
Lisa and Ken still have a couple other restaurants in the area ... Sur and TomTom ... and the Pump Family says, "We look forward to welcoming you all to TomTom & Sur in the months following! Thank you for the past decade of support, we have loved our staff, our patrons and our time together."
Pump's been featured in many scenes on "Vanderpump Rules" over the years, and it's hosted tons of celebs ... including Lance Bass and Lady Gaga.
Cheers to a great run.
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THE KID LAROI DINES AND DASHES AFTER TOUR STOP
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The Kid LAROI left his server hanging with a triple-digit bill after fleeing an Irish pub & restaurant -- that's what the pissed-off manager of the watering hole is claiming.
LAROI performed Tuesday night in Springfield, MO, and afterward, he and a group of buddies went to Dublin's Pass Irish Pub & Restaurant for some food and drink.
The joint's manager, Autumn Gray, tells TMZ ... the Aussie rapper was kind to all her staff and patrons at first, even posing for photos with some excited fans -- but, ultimately, they seated LAROI and co. in a private room.
Autumn says the group ran up their bill ordering chicken wings, mac & cheese, brownies and more ... and, although they stepped outside for smoke breaks during the meal, they assured their server they weren't leaving.
Of course, that's precisely what happened according to the restaurant. When their server tried to get a head start on bussing dishes from the table ... they discovered everyone had bolted.
As soon as the manager found out about the dine and dash, she says they searched the premises but TKL and his entourage were long gone.
The total bill was $133.58 and while Autumn acknowledges it might have been a careless mistake by LAROI, she points out servers make most of their money through tips ... so, it's messed up one of her employees did all that work for free.
Autumn says she tried contacting TKL, but hasn't gotten a response. We also reached out to a rep, and so far ... no word back.
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James Harden Gifts Embiid Rolex ... Congrats, MVP!!!
Joel Embiid's first Most Valuable Player selection just got a lot sweeter ... 'cause his Sixers teammate, James Harden, gifted him a Rolex in honor of the award!!
The Philadelphia center beat out former MVP winners Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the nod Tuesday night ... and when the man of the hour showed up at the arena to take on the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Beard came bearing gifts.
Embiid was clearly thrilled over the gesture ... thanking Harden and hugging it out in the tunnel after receiving the expensive watch.
your 2022-23 @Kia NBA MVP: @JoelEmbiid 🏆#KiaMVP pic.twitter.com/DNqnd5g9EY
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 2, 2023 @sixers
What's funny -- the timepiece didn't fit the 7'0" giant's hand ... but Uno assured the MVP he'll hook him up with some more links soon.
The watch also has a special message engraved on the back ... which reads "'23 MVP."
Embiid -- who said it is his first Rolex -- couldn't help but show off his gift with reporters earlier Wednesday ... smiling as he put it in front of the cameras.
If Embiid suits up for Philly in a few hours (he's been out with a knee sprain), and the watch gives him a bit more motivation, it could be bad news for the Cs -- 'cause the Sixers are currently leading the series, 1-0.
Embiid won the award after averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game -- well deserved!!
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Jimmy Fallon & Seth Meyers Extend Pay for Late Night Staff ... Amid Writers' Strike
Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers' late night talk employees won't be left high and dry during the writers' strike -- as one of Jimmy's staffers claimed -- as the network will cover their pay ... for the time being, at least.
NBC will now be paying staffers through the end of next week -- 1 more than originally reported. Both talk show hosts will be footing the bill one week further, too.
Employees for both shows will also reportedly have their healthcare benefits extended through September ... and the additional payout from Seth and Jimmy is similar to what they did for their workers during the pandemic. Deadline first reported the big development at NBC.
As we reported, Jimmy caught some flak Tuesday after tweets from 'Tonight Show' staffer Sarah Kobos went viral ... as she claimed Jimmy "wasn't even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won't get paid after this week."
Last night a lot of A-list celebs were asked if they support the writers' strike.
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 2, 2023 @MorePerfectUS
Jimmy Fallon said, "I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all the way."
Who else supports the strike? Thread. pic.twitter.com/EjlRWiRXd3
Sarah said she was irked by a Met Gala interview where Jimmy said he fully supported his striking writers.
While NBC's move to extend pay will quiet some of the anger, for now ... but expect more tension the longer the strike continues, especially because it's not only writers impacted by the work stoppage.
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Drake Beverly Hills Estate Can Be Yours for $88 Mil!!!
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Drake is saying goodbye to the Hills of Beverly ... he's unloading his estate and the asking price is a whopping $88 mil!
The house is a masterpiece, and it's massive -- 25,000 square feet. It's kinda more like a museum than a home, with enormous walls for days that support some world-class art.
The property has amazing views of city lights, canyons and even the blue Pacific.
The main house has 7 bedrooms, a library, a screening room of course, gym, game room and on and on. The house is built for entertaining, so it makes sense there's a garage that will hold 11 cars. Did we forget to mention the hidden tennis court and orchard?
Drake snagged the property just a year ago for $75 mil. He bought it from singer Robbie Williams, who purchased the prop back in 2015 for $32.7 million.
It's unclear why Drake is bailing on the house. He sold his Hidden Hills mansion last year for $12 mil ... that house had an incredible pool/grotto.
Dude's got $$$.
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Rob Lowe Joins Son In Writers' Strike ... Picketing Together At Paramount
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Rob Lowe is not only showing the WGA his support during the writers' strike, but he's got his son's back, too -- picketing together outside Paramount and joining thousands of writers across the country to fight for fair wages.
Rob and his son John Owen were out in Hollywood Tuesday as the big strike went into effect, echoing the thoughts of many that film and TV writers are a true backbone in all content today.
The actor tells us he's extremely proud of his son for fighting alongside his colleagues, especially early on in his career -- for those unaware, John Owen and Rob are cocreators on Netflix's "Unstable," and the 28-year-old wrote on 33 episodes of his dad's series, "9-1-1: Lone Star."
John Owen sends the love right back to his pops, too ... saying he's thrilled to have his support -- but couldn't help but get a great joke in about Rob's priorities.
BTW -- Natasha Lyonne was outside Paramount, too ... and she made it a point that writing great projects really takes a village, and she thinks serious change is a necessity for getting the industry back to where it needs to be.
We also got actor and writer Michael Hitchcock at the same spot ... and he gives us the deets as to why streaming is crucial for this new contract -- and why banning AI from the industry is a must, too.
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Jimmy Fallon 'Tonight Show' Staffer Claims ... You Don't Really Support Striking Writers!!!
Jimmy Fallon says he wouldn't have a late-night show without his writers, and he supports them in their strike, but a 'Tonight Show' staffer begs to differ ... claiming Jimmy's all talk.
Sarah Kobos, a senior photo research coordinator on Jimmy's talk show, ripped him Tuesday on social media as the writers' strike began, saying ... "He wasn't even at the meeting this morning to tell us we won't get paid after this week."
Sarah tagged Jimmy in her tweet, adding ... "@jimmyfallon please support your staff. Had fun bowling with ya last week, but a fun party won't pay my rent."
Last night a lot of A-list celebs were asked if they support the writers' strike.
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 2, 2023 @MorePerfectUS
Jimmy Fallon said, "I wouldn't have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all the way."
Who else supports the strike? Thread. pic.twitter.com/EjlRWiRXd3
Jimmy, like all other late-night hosts, is scrambling to figure out how to handle personnel matters during the writer's strike, which will affect all employees -- including non-writers -- because all the network talk shows are shutting down.
Monday at the Met Gala, Jimmy was asked about the strike and told Variety, "I wouldn’t have a show if it wasn't for my writers, I support them all the way."
In follow-up tweets, Sarah says she's not a striking worker because she isn't a member of the Writers Guild of America, but again ... with all the shows airing reruns, her livelihood will be impacted nonetheless.
She adds 'Tonight Show' employees were told "NBC decided to stop paying us after this week and end our health insurance after this month if the strike is ongoing. They won't even tell us if we will technically be furloughed. Just active employees who aren't paid."
Fairly or not, Sarah also openly compared Jimmy to Seth Meyers, who hosts 'Late Night' on NBC ... saying she was told Seth was on a Zoom meeting telling his staff and crew he would try to take care of them financially "after NBC stops paying."
We reached out to Jimmy and NBC ... no word back yet.
Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappé Soccer Stars Dominate Highest-Paid Athletes List
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Soccer reigned supreme once again when it came to lining pockets in 2022 ... with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé making the most money out of all athletes, according to Forbes' annual list -- and LeBron James and Stephen Curry rounding out the top five.
In the top spot is 38-year-old Ronaldo -- who parted ways with Manchester United in November to join Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr in January. The superstar raked in $136 million total on and off the field over the past 12 months.
Coming in at second and third on the list are Messi and Mbappé, respectively. Messi earned $130 million ... while 24-year-old Mbappé -- the only athlete under 30 to grace the top 10 -- pocketed $120 million.
King James is in the top five yet again at fourth on the list, earning $119.5 million. Meanwhile, Steph Curry ($100.4 million) and Kevin Durant ($89.1 million) are the only two other NBA players to make the top 10.
Canelo Álvarez is the lone boxer in the top 10 -- the 58-2-2 Mexican-born fighter made $100 million pounding on opponents inside the ring ... and an additional $10 million out of competition.
Two of golf's biggest names, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, proved the LIV money is real ... with DJ earning $107 million, and Phil earning $106 million.
Finally, Roger Federer -- who's won 20 Grand Slam men's single's titles in his career -- held it down for his respective sport ... as he was the only tennis star to make the top 10, earning $95.1 million.
Forbes' highest-paid athletes list always generates discussion about who the biggest stars in sports are ... and like Jay-Z famously said, "Men lie, women lie, numbers don't!"
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Charles Leclerc AirPod Recovery ... Wearing $200K Watch!!!
Charles Leclerc is a multi-millionaire, but you wouldn't be able to tell by the way he went into full rescue mode when he lost his AirPods this week ... 'cause he got on the ground, used some tweezers and brought them back to safety -- all while ironically wearing a $200k watch!!!
The Ferrari superstar documented the whole mishap on his Instagram page ... showing him sprawled out on the floor at the Zurich International Airport in Switzerland.
The whole thing looked like a game of Operation ... as the 25-year-old patiently tried to get both his earbud AND the case out of the tiniest crack in the floor -- and thankfully, it was a success!!
What's hilarious about it all -- Leclerc most certainly has the money ... so he could have just as easily gotten a new pair at a nearby gift shop.
Throughout the recovery, Charles was also wearing a super-expensive, rare Richard Mille RM 72-01 watch on his left wrist ... which comes with a $185k price tag, but good luck getting your hands on one of them at that price -- or at all.
Of course, Leclerc has a sponsorship with Richard Mille ... so he's got the hook-up.
Perhaps he needs an Apple brand deal next!!
Admittedly, the whole thing may have just been an attempt to go viral ... as he posted about his next piano instrumental right after the clip.
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Antonio Brown Accused Of Threatening Arena League Coach ... Locking Players Out Of Hotel
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4:14 PM PT -- Tom Menas -- who previously coached the Empire to two championships -- will return to his former position of head coach ... after initially being fired days before the season.
Brown tweeted about the move before quickly deleting it ... but it just goes to show he is still wearing his ownership cap despite all the chaos.
Antonio Brown's tenure as a football team owner is allegedly off to a horrific start -- the controversial former NFL star is being accused of running the organization into the ground ... making violent threats toward the ex-head coach and locking players out of their hotel rooms.
TMZ Sports spoke with two former members of the National Arena League's Albany Empire -- head coach Damon Ware and quarterback Sam Castronova -- and they both detailed their hellish experiences before leaving the team.
Ware said Brown's ownership was doomed from the beginning ... explaining it was a "hostile takeover" when the Super Bowl champ came on board in March, forcing other owners out by throwing money their way.
Antonio Brown Says He's Retired, Becomes National Arena League Team Owner
Ware said the main issue was getting everyone paid ... and his conversations with AB about the matter would get so bad, the receiver would resort to texting him violent threats.
According to Ware, Brown -- who now owns 95% of the team -- was a nightmare to work with ... as his ego got in the way of improving the squad and helping players move on to the next level.
"It became all about him, not the football team," Ware said. "We built a wonderful organization over three years -- he came in and killed it."
FYI -- the Empire are back-to-back champions in the NAL, but are off to a 1-2 start this season.
3/2/23
We're told team members usually expect their game checks the week after each contest ... but once the money hadn't hit their bank accounts for their past two contests in April, players contemplated sitting out.
Eventually, the athletes agreed to suit up when they were shown what appeared to be a payment confirmation. But, following Sunday's game, Castronova said players were still without their check ... and several captains decided to confront team officials on their bus ride back from North Carolina.
Once they got to their team hotel, Ware, the captains, and several other players discovered their room keys no longer worked -- and hotel staffers told them it was Brown's doing.
In fact, they had to fight like hell just to get their belongings out of their rooms ... dealing with housekeeping in order to make it happen.
Even though the team has followed up with one missed payment so far, Ware, Castronova and several other key players say they are fed up with the team ... and they're already looking forward to restarting their careers elsewhere.
"It's a happy day for me to be out of this crazy situation," Ware added.
"Goodbye, good riddance."
We covered the drama in a recent episode of the TMZ Sports Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
Originally Published -- 10:47 AM PT
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'Platinum' Mike Perry I Want Conor McGregor Next Biggest Fight In The World!
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Mike Perry wants a BIG fight ... a big fight against Conor McGregor.
Just days after 31-year-old Perry defeated former UFC champ Luke Rockhold at BKFC 41 in Colorado, and then came face-to-face with "The Notorious," the former UFC star from Florida tells TMZ Sports he's looking to put a whoopin' on the biggest star in combat sports.
"I think a fight [with Conor] looks very entertaining. The build-up. The s*** talk," Mike says, before explaining, despite residing in different promotions, the fight could really happen.
"You know he's still in with the UFC. Let's hope he beats Michael Chandler, then we can really make the biggest fight date in the world, 'Platinum' Mike Perry vs. 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor."
4/30/23
Perry says if the world didn't know he was a badass in the ring before Saturday night, they do now after forcing Rockhold to give up after sustaining an injury during the bout.
"Luke helped with this. The world knows he was a serious threat. A very strong competitor. A 2x world champion and I made it look easy."
(We also talked to Perry about the fight with Rockhold.)
If Conor doesn't work out, Mike has a couple other opponents in mind.
"Tommy Fury is interesting. Logan Paul. These are good popular fights. Possible fights as well."
But, McGregor is the fight, as far as MP's concerned. We asked him if he had a message for Conor.
"Conor, 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor vs. 'Platinum' Mike Perry is the only fight to make. It is the number one fight in the world. All the fans want it. We'll throw hands, Southpaw vs. Orthodox. Big power punchers. I'm the better boxer, and that's no disrespect on you mate," Platinum Perry said.
"You've had an amazing career. You said you're never retiring. I'm getting a little older myself. I think we've come a long way. I've def come a long way. You've been at the top. It's my turn to take over. So you could just hand me the keys or you can let me fight you for 'em!"
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President John F. Kennedy Signed Baseball Sells For $166k ... New Record!!!
A baseball signed by John F. Kennedy sold at auction for a whopping $166k over the weekend ... making it the most expensive ball ever signed by a president!!
As we previously reported, the "Associacion Venezuela de Baseball Professional" ball is from a reporter named Julio Messuti ... who was covering JFK and the First Lady's visit to Venezuela to meet President Romulo Betancourt in December 1961.
The trip was part of the "Alliance for Progress" project, which aimed to help economic ties between the U.S. and Latin America.
Messuti was able to meet JFK during the initiative, and POTUS was happy to sign the ball. In fact, you can see the exact moment between Kennedy and Messuti in a photo published by the El Universal.
Kennedy -- who was an avid baseball fan -- praised then-White Sox star shortstop and future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio when he signed the ball.
SCP Auctions put the one-of-a-kind JFK memorabilia on the market last week ... and after 19 bids, it sold for exactly $166,818 on Saturday -- making it the new all-time high for a baseball signed by a president.
FYI, the first POTUS-signed ball to hit over six figures was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Hancock in 2020.
Congrats to the new owner!!!
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Chance The Rapper 'Acid Rap' Days Could've Killed Me ... I Did Too Many Drugs!!!
Chance the Rapper is thankful he cleaned up his act following his 2013 breakout project, "Acid Rap" -- he swears his drug-binging days while making that music would've eventually killed him.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
The Chicago rap star made the sobering admission while basking in the LP's 10-year anniversary with Complex.
According to Chance, he earned enough money from his first headlining tour to rent a house outside of his parents' supervision ... and went buck wild with the drugs.
Waiting for your permission to load Spotify album.
Chance thanks a spiritual intervention for pulling him out of the substance abuse splurge and noted how his legacy would have just been limited to an acid user had he succumbed.
His story sounds eerily similar to that of Mac Miller, who died in 2018 following a drug overdose in the Los Angeles house where he'd been holed up.
The sounds of "Acid Rap" are set to have their biggest stage yet, come August 19 at Chicago's United Center for its 10th-anniversary concert.
#AcidRap10 on sale Friday, presale tomorrow. text me +1 (312) 494-1081 pic.twitter.com/E362vXo8a5
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) April 25, 2023 @chancetherapper
The show is coheadlined by "Acid Rap" collaborator Saba ... which opens the door for other hometown featured artists Vic Mensa, BJ The Chicago Kid and Twista to make appearances all the same.
Detoxing his life for the better is apparently something Chance has become a pro at doing. TMZ Hip Hop broke the story ... he and his wife are all good following the super viral video of a woman twerking on him in Jamaica.
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Katy Perry, Austin Butler, Sia Bring Met Gala Vibes to Bev Hills ... Celeb-Packed House Party
Here's Katy Perry, Austin Butler and Sia making fashion statements worthy of a Met Gala appearance ... only they're not in New York, they're at a Bev Hills mansion party.
The guest list for a Sunday dinner party at investor Michael Kives' $14 million Bev Hills estate rivaled Anna Wintour's annual fundraiser ... with Katy, Austin and Sia being just the tip of the Hollywood icon iceberg. The party was to celebrate the start of Milken Conference, which is a big deal in the finance world.
Oprah and a very colorfully-dressed Gayle King were in the house ... breaking bread with Kris Jenner, Jimmy Kimmel and Chris Pine.
Austin had supermodel Kaia Gerber on his arm, and they were a bunch of other celeb couples ... we're talking Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Heather Milligan, Larry David and Ashley Underwood, plus Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld.
Michael's party, celebrating his investment firm, also welcomed L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez ... plus Bill Maher, Nicholas Braun and Matt Bellamy.
Most of the celebs walked out with what appeared to be SKIMS gift bags ... which makes sense, because Kris Jenner helped host the party.
Check out the gallery -- it's Met Gala West, for sure!!! And, y'know some of these folks are double-dipping and jetting off to NYC for the real deal.
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Joakim Noah Launching Hoops League In Chicago W/ Viol. Prevention Groups
Joakim Noah is doing his part to give back to Chicago -- the former NBA player is launching a basketball league to unify young men amid the city's violence epidemic.
The 13-year NBA vet revealed his plans in an interview with Shams Charania ... where he explained his decision to join forces with 28 violence prevention groups to launch "One City Basketball League."
Noah -- who played 9 seasons with the Bulls -- said the league aims to bring young men aged 16-25 living in the west and south sides of Chicago together to compete in a tournament.
"Chicago is a place that gave me everything I had, playing for the Chicago Bulls," Noah said. "So I always wanted to do work in the city. The city is divided in a lot of ways."
Awesome: Former Bulls star Joakim Noah is launching “One City Basketball League” in Chicago this month in collaboration with 28 violence prevention groups. It will provide financial incentives for players, off-court programs and job opportunities. pic.twitter.com/w3XXB0zUpj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 1, 2023 @ShamsCharania
"One of the ways to unify the city is through hoop. Some of my best friends, to this day, are from playing basketball. That's what we're trying to do. We're trying to unify the city."
Noah believes the tournament will entice kids to participate, but feels the real prize is the financial incentives for players, off-court programs, and job opportunities.
38-year-old Noah -- who announced his retirement from the NBA in 2021 -- said former United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is helping launch the league.
"It's really special just to be able to come back to the city and do something really positive."
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Snoop Dogg Joins Bid To Buy Ottawa Senators ... Sorry, Ryan Reynolds
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Ryan Reynolds has some competition in his quest to buy the Ottawa Senators ... and it's none other than rap legend Snoop Dogg!!
According to the Athletic, the Dogg Father has joined the group headed by Neko Sparks in hopes of becoming the next big celebrity sports team owner.
Sparks, a Los Angeles-based entrepreneur, first became known as a bidder for the team back in January 2023. Since then, he has rounded up a dozen people to join his efforts to not only buy the team ... but make history as the first black owner in the NHL. The group also reportedly has Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a member.
In case you didn't know, Snoop is a massive fan of hockey. In 2018, he teamed up with the NHL to release a weekly video series called "Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg."
On top of that ... in 2020, he called a whole period of NHL action for the L.A. Kings during the team’s matchup with the Colorado Avalanche. If you want to dig even further, in his famous "Gin and Juice” music video ... Snoop is rocking a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey.
While adding Dogg to his ownership group certainly bolsters its cause, it will still be a battle for Sparks' group to win the Senators. Reynolds and real estate mogul Christopher Bratty are rumored to be preparing a $1 billion dollar bid to buy the team. They would also build a new stadium for the org., although it's unknown if Sparks and his group would do the same.
Reynolds is no stranger to owning a team. Back in November 2020 ... Reynolds and actor Rob McElhenney bought Wrexham FC for $2.5 million dollars. Back on April 22nd, the team earned promotion to the English Football League after falling out 15 years ago.
Final bids for the Senators are due May 15, then a winner will be chosen from there. A lot of star power is looking to make a splash in the world of sports ... may the best group win!!!