Canadian comedian Russell Peters joins bid for Ottawa Senators ownership
The Neko Sparks Group is adding another celebrity to its roster as it seeks ownership of the Ottawa Senators.
Canadian comedian Russell Peters has announced he has joined up with Sparks's bid.
"Pumped to be part of the [Neko Sparks] group in their historic bid for [the Ottawa Senators]: the first ever Black, Indigenous, South Asian, visible minority group to bid on an NHL team in history," he said in an Instagram post on Saturday.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"Honored to have you on the team brother," Sparks replied.
Peters joins other high-profile figures including American rapper Snoop Dogg and Canadian Olympian Donovan Bailey in the group bidding to own the Sens.
Peters has had a lucrative career in stand-up comedy. In 2013, he became the first stand-up comedian to get a Netflix comedy special. He ranked third on Forbes' top 10 list of highest-earning comedians that year.
CTV News Ottawa reached out to Peters's manager, his brother Clayton Peters, for additional comment but has not heard back.
There are four groups in the running as of the deadline to submit bids last Monday, according to reports, but the Sparks group has been the most vocal, touting its diverse partners, including Indigenous groups. On Monday, Snoop Dogg, who was an early celebrity face for the group, posted a video to social media in which he wears an Ottawa Senators jersey and gives "a shout out to the First Nations of Canada." On Wednesday, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation, which has a land claim on LeBreton Flats, the possible site of a future arena, endorsed the Neko Sparks Group's approach to the bidding process. Bailey announced his involvement with the group on Friday.
Sparks is an L.A.-based entrepreneur and chief technology officer at AI company Pixel Lime. He has said his group is "well-positioned and well-backed," telling Newstalk 580 CFRA in April that it includes "a nice mix of Canadian money, U.K. money and American money." His team includes former L.A. Kings captain Mattias Norström and former New Jersey Devils chief marketing officer Daniel Cherry.
Postmedia reported that three of the bids came from Toronto-area businessmen: Michael Andlauer, who owns a minority stake in the Montreal Canadiens; Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who were formerly involved with the Pittsburgh Penguins and whose bid reportedly includes Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd; and Steve Apostolopoulos, who has also submitted a bid to own the NFL's Washington Commanders.
The Ottawa Senators went up for sale following the death of Eugene Melnyk, who passed ownership onto his daughters Anna and Olivia Melnyk. Forbes recently valued the Senators at $800 million USD.
It's unclear when the successful bid will be announced.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.