Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's Gin & Juice is the Arizona Bowl's new sponsor. Screengrab: Snoop Dogg on X

The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl has carved out a niche in college football’s postseason. While some dismiss it as a lesser bowl game, its unconventional approach — whether you loved it or hated it — set it apart from the pack of over 40 bowls.

However, Barstool Sports’ run as the Arizona Bowl’s sponsor will end after three years. Barstool’s Dan “Big Cat” Katz hinted that this would “probably” be the final go-round back in January, and an announcement Monday confirmed that news.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, Snoop Dogg is taking the reins of the Arizona Bowl as its new title sponsor. His Gin & Juice beverage line, co-founded with Dr. Dre, will also be the presenting sponsor, unseating Barstool Sports.

The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop, has a nice ring to it.

And Snoop Dogg released a video on X (formerly Twitter) introducing his new bowl game

“College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement transfer portal, and super conferences,” said Snoop Dogg. So, it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football when it was focused on the colleges, the players, the competition, the community, the fan experience, and the pageantry. Being a fan, coach, and supporter of all levels of the game, I’ve sent many players through my SYFL to colleges and the NFL, so it’s only fitting that I step up and help get this thing right.

“I’m ready to bring the ‘juice’ back to college football. And, I’m taking my talents to — that’s right — Arizona. Believe me, Arizona, baby. I’m here to announce the new collaboration — the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl, presented by Gin & Juice by Dre & Snoop. The game will be played on December 28th at the University of Arizona stadium in Tuscon, Arizona. I’ll be there; will you be there? Well, guess what? We’ll see you there.”

While Barstool sponsoring the Arizona Bowl previously pushed boundaries, this is that and then some. This is the first time in college football history that a bowl game will partner with an alcohol brand — and one launched by two celebrities (Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre) at that.

Their new premium spirits company, which launched earlier this year, debuted its Gin & Juice canned gin cocktail. For those unfamiliar, the name “Gin & Juice” pays homage to Snoop Dogg’s 1994 hit of the same name.

“We are a little different from all the other bowls. We’re not afraid to take risks and do things outside of the box,” said Kym Adair, the executive director of the Arizona Bowl. “An alcohol brand has always been off the table for us until recently. Everybody in the stadium is drinking a beer or cocktail. It’s time for the industry to evolve.”

“I’ve sent many players through my SYFL to colleges and the NFL, so it’s only fitting that I bring the ‘juice’ back to college football,” Snoop Dogg said in a statement to Yahoo Sports. “With Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop, we’re going to make the Arizona Bowl into a game-day experience like never before.”

The newly sponsored Arizona Bowl will kick off on Dec. 28. While we still have an entire season of college football to get to that point, Dellenger reports that the bowl game is expected to be televised on a network with wide linear distribution—which could certainly be The CW again.

In addition, the game is a charity — classified as a 501(c)(3) organization donating all its revenue — and it’s independent of ESPN’s ownership and broadcasting, enabling it to push the envelope beyond the typical sponsorship.

It’ll be interesting to see how this partnership shapes the future of college football.

[Yahoo Sports, Snoop Dog on X]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.