Snoop Dogg boosts profile of Arizona Bowl with sponsorship and appearance at game

TUCSON — Snoop Dogg put his name on the Arizona Bowl, and while the rapper/entertainer/businessman couldn’t do much about the one-sided outcome Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the game between Miami of Ohio and Colorado State, he was the brightest star of the day.The veteran lyricist spent all day here, arriving hours before game time, according to the TV broadcast of the first Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop. He stayed until he presented the bowl championship trophy to Miami coach Chuck Martin and the MVP trophy to running back Kevin Davis, making sure that Martin got in a waiting lowrider wearing a Death Row Records gold chain.”Thank you Tucson,” Snoop said. “Thank you for welcoming me.”The bowl game is the Arizona Bowl, but it has been sponsored by Nova Home Loans, Offerpad and Barstool Sports over its nine-year history. In May, it was announced that Snoop Dogg and the Arizona Bowl agreed to a multi-year sponsorship deal for the game, making Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop (named after one of Snoop’s most popular tracks) the first alcohol partner as the presenting sponsor of an NCAA bowl game.Indeed, as one of his songs goes, it was a Doggy Dogg World in Tucson, and Snoop was everywhere, offering brutally honest analysis in a live sideline interview in sharing that he told the game’s running backs to “put their foot in the dirt” and “get to the liquor store.”Miami won Saturday’s game 43-17 with three touchdowns in the third quarter, which broke open a close game at halftime. An Arizona Bowl-record 40,076 was the announced attendance.In a statement announcing the bowl game agreement, Snoop promised “to make the Arizona Bowl into a game day experience like never before.” He delivered on Saturday, as did the Redhawks with 34 second-half points.The pregame tailgate party outside the stadium was teeming with fans up until just before kickoff, especially the Gin & Juice area. Then Snoop jogged on the field prior to kickoff dressed in a custom tan and green Arizona Bowl sweatsuit. At midfield he oversaw the coin toss, then exchanged hugs with team captains.Snoop’s appearance alone drew loud cheers. Before the second quarter, Snoop took a moment to listen to Native American drummers, holding his hands together in prayer form.”This is a seven-day-a-week thing with me, man,” Snoop said, sitting down with the TV broadcasters during the game. “I guess I’m the people’s champ because I love the people as much as they love me.”At halftime, Snoop conducted bands from both Miami of Ohio and Colorado State as they performed a compilation of his songs.The stadium end zones bore his name and a rendering of a car, reminiscent of one used in some of Snoop’s music videos and painted over the words “Arizona” and “Wildcats.” The upper deck on the west side of the stadium was empty, except for a giant white Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop banner.Dre is Dr. Dre, the famous rap producer and hitmaker and successful businessperson who was once the heartbeat of Death Row Records — along with Snoop and, for a time before his death, the late Tupac Shakur.While the Redhawks and Rams got going in the first quarter, Snoop was walking along the sideline with a security detail, waving at fans and smiling. Official game T-shirts were nearly sold out at souvenir stands before kickoff, and fans came in their own Snoop Dogg apparel that was second only to Miami and Colorado State gear in terms of what folks wore to the game.

Which means, supposedly, get into the end zone.With many young kids in the seats, Snoop also got to promote his youth football league, which has gone national and has produced college and professional players.The Arizona Bowl has not always found it easy to draw big crowds to see two teams from lower-tier FBS conferences, but the tie-in with Snoop Dogg was certainly an attraction for fans on Saturday. And the 6-foot-4 rapper was everywhere, standing out with his outfit and dance moves.Dom Dzioban kicked three field goals for the Redhawks and Davis ran for a 97-yard TD — a bowl record for longest rush — plus another score. Stephon Daily caught a 56-yard touchdown pass from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi for Colorado State.

Snoop’s TV commercials for T-Mobile and Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop played on the video board inside the stadium, and also on the CW Network television broadcast.

Snoop isn’t the first celebrity to add his name and fame to a bowl game. In 2021, comedian Jimmy Kimmel was the big name on the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl in California. The past two years, the LA Bowl has had a corporate sponsor but was hosted by former NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski. Also this year, World Wrestling Entertainment has been part of conference championship games and the College Football Playoff.