Speaking at a massive press conference in Hollywood, Snoop (real name Cordozar Calvin Broadus) said he was seeking "to end all rumors and speculation about the league," which has been in the works for some time. Athletes will compete against each other on Xbox 360, he said.
Snoop, who will act as the official Commissioner, said the initial regular season would run five weeks, followed by one week of playoffs. The HHGL will be open only to an A-list of musicians, athletes, producers and other entertainers personally selected by him. Among the biggest names: Method Man, Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony, soccer’s Cobi Jones and Cincinnati Bengal Chad Johnson.
"I’m an initiator, you dig?" Snoop said. "This is something I’ve been cultivating in my mind for some time." The league will celebrate its kickoff this weekend with a big event at the NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas, climaxing with the grand finals showdown in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A long-time gamer, hip-hop icon and film and TV star, Snoop said he would put his personal stamp on the league, settling disputes, enforcing league rules and generally running the show. His goal is to have the HHGL "take it to the next level," he said, "which is professional, international and universal. We’re going to take this thing here straight over the stratosphere, baby."
Expect fierce competition, said Snoop, drawing laughs from the crowd when he told a persistant reporter, "Let me worry about making the rules while you all worry about following them."
"We want people who hate to lose, like myself," he said, concluding the press conference. "Now marinate on that."
New R&B sensation Chris Brown, former Ms.USA/actress Kenya Moore and radio personality Steph Lova all breezed through the plasma screen and velvet couch-laden gaming lounge to watch party-goers go head-to-head in EA Sports' Madden '06 and a basketball game, all delivered on high-definition screens courtesy of Microsoft's Xbox 360, the HHGL platform of choice.
While the HHGL gaming lounge clearly was the night's focus, the party continued throughout the Hobby Center. The guest list included Queen Latifah, Reggie Miller, T.I. and, of course, Kenny Smith's fellow TNT basketball analyst, Charles Barkley. They were also treated to sneak peeks at limited-edition Reebok sneakers, expensive timepieces provided by Krieger, and an up-close look at Volkswagon's Toureg SUV and the luxurious Phaeton.