Report: The Weeknd joins group in pursuit to buy Senators
Another Starboy has entered the sweepstakes to purchase the Ottawa Senators.
Canadian singer Abel Tesfaye, best known by his stage name The Weeknd, has joined the Harlo Capital Group led by Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel to hope to buy the Sens, sources told Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch.
Actor Ryan Reynolds and rapper Snoop Dogg are also making separate efforts to purchase the NHL franchise. Reynolds' group is reportedly prepared to bid $1 billion. Seven groups overall remain involved in the bidding.
The Weeknd, a native of Toronto, has won four Grammys, is the most streamed artist on Spotify, and performed the Super Bowl LV halftime show.
"He's going to be a great partner for Ottawa and the NHL," a source close to The Weeknd told Garrioch. "The team he works with grew up in Ottawa, so they know the market really well, but he's the largest musician (on the) planet right now. He has the most views, the most streams, and he's a hockey guy.
"He doesn't like to be in the media very often, so this really says something that he wants to be part of a bid. He wants to get this deal done, he wants to build something that will be great in Ottawa and he'll be a good fit. He's got a lot of connections worldwide."
The Senators have been owned by Anna and Olivia Melnyk since their father, Eugene, died in March 2022. The franchise was put up for sale in November.
New York-based bank Galatioto Sports Partners, which was hired to sell the club, has set a May 15 deadline for final nonbinding offers.