Thirty years ago, Snoop Dogg was drinking gin and juice, thinking about his money and his money in his mind.
These days, the Long Beach rapper and businessman runs a company that sells gin and juice products, apparently with college football in mind.
Introducing the new name “Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop,” taking place on December 28 in Tucson, Arizona.
“College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk about NIL, conference realignment, coaching movement, the transfer portal and super conferences.” Snoop Dogg said in a video. posted Monday on his social media accounts. “So it's time for us to get back to the roots of college football, to what it was about: the universities, the players, the competition, the community, the fan experience and the spectacle.”
Held at Arizona Stadium, home of the Arizona Wildcats, the bowl began in 2015 and has been tied to the Mountain West and Mid-American conferences since 2020. Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop is a ready-to-drink gin. Canned product from the new premium spirits company launched earlier this year by Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, rapper, producer and business mogul.
With a name inspired by “Gin & Juice,” the 1994 single by Snoop Dogg and produced by Dr. Dre, the company is the first alcohol brand to serve as title sponsor of an NCAA bowl game.
“Snoop's passions for supporting youth football, college football and music were completely aligned with the things we were already doing and joining forces meant we could elevate the entire Bowl experience together,” said Arizona Bowl CEO, Kym Adair told the Times in an email Tuesday. “In fact, three players from your SYFL (Snoop Youth Football League) currently play at the University of Arizona, where we play our game.
“We also quickly recognized that we shared a desire to highlight the joy and pageantry that comes with celebrating college football through our bowl game and what it means to the players, the participating universities, our community and the fans.”
The multi-year deal with Snoop Dogg and his company comes as a previous three-year deal with Barstool Sports as the event's title sponsor ends.
“We had a fantastic run with Barstool Sports,” Adair said. “They were everything we hoped they would be and more and will always be part of the fabric of our game.”
That association was considered controversial by some. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has made numerous comments considered misogynistic or racist. Portnoy has also been accused of sexual misconduct by several women; He has denied all of those accusations.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to withdraw its $40,000 funding for the Arizona Bowl in 2021. Adair said his company has not spoken to the county about funding at this time.
Snoop Dogg isn't exactly the neatest guy either.
Much of his music contains offensive language. She has admitted to a past as a pimp and having ties to gangs. In 1996, he was acquitted of first- and second-degree murder charges for the shooting death of a gang member three years earlier.
But Snoop's image has taken a softer turn over the years. He is fun, friendly and extremely calm. He is known as Coach Snoop to the hundreds of inner-city kids who have participated in his nonprofit youth soccer league since 2005.
And apparently it's everywhere.
“Snoop is an American music icon, a successful businessman, a pop culture phenomenon, the face of the Olympic Games on NBC this summer, a brand ambassador for major companies and someone who loves soccer so much that he started its own youth football league (SYFL) to serve young athletes in California,” Adair said. “He is omnipresent.”
Adair added: “We have heard nothing but positive reviews about our new partnership.”
A number of events will be held around the event, including a Snooper Bowl featuring youth teams from Arizona and California. Snoop Dogg could also appear in the Arizona Bowl booth providing color commentary.
“As a fan, coach and supporter at all levels of the game, I have sent many players through my SYFL to colleges and the NFL, so it's only fitting that I step up and help make this right,” he said Snoop Dogg in the video. “I'm ready to bring the juice back to college football.”
