Ryan Reynolds appears to be wanting to broaden his sports portfolio, as the Hollywood actor is believed to be interested in owning the Ottawa Senators if news of the NHL team’s sale is accurate.
Of course, this isn’t Reynolds’ first venture into sports; in 2020, he and his partner Rob McElhenney acquired the tiny Welsh football side AFC Wrexham, adding to the actor’s other ventures such as Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, and his production firm Maximum Effort. Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham purchase has perhaps been his most high-profile venture, owing to the popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series, which follows the team’s journey to leave the depths of English football.
Ryan Reynolds looks forward to purchasing Ottawa Senators
The Canadian actor, 46, is allegedly considering buying the Ottawa Senators if the NHL organization begins looking for a buyer. The Sens’ current owners, the Melnyk family, are allegedly considering selling the franchise barely seven months after Eugene Melnyk died.
According to a source close to the Deadpool star, the actor firmly feels the Senators should remain in Ottawa if they are sold to another bidder. Sportico last assessed the Senators at $655 million, a 21% increase from a prior valuation of $500 million.
While Ryan Reynolds may not have that type of wealth on hand, he might play a critical role in generating funding and finding investors willing to chip in to help the team become a greater media sensation, much as Wrexham is in the world of football. Reynolds grew up in Vancouver, Canada, and while he has no direct links to Ottawa, keeping the Senators in the city would be a critical component of any proposal he participates in.
History of the Ottawa Senators team
The Ottawa Senators derive their name from a former NHL team created in 1883 in the early days of the sport, and the organization has a long history considerably more illustrious than Wrexham’s, having won 11 Stanley Cups before World War II started.
Before his death, Eugene Melnyk and the Senators were embroiled in a lawsuit over a botched proposal involving a new arena with a business named LeBreton Flats, with the dispute now becoming a one-billion-dollar problem for any next owner. Melnyk, who died in March of this year at the age of 62, bought the squad in 2003 and owned it until his death when his daughters Anna and Olivia took it.
Nonetheless, the thought of Ryan Reynolds becoming an NHL owner is enticing, particularly if it comes with wholesome entertainment like Welcome to Wrexham, which has already been extended for a second season.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney paid $2.5 million to purchase one of the world’s oldest soccer clubs, Welsh club Wrexham, in November 2020.
Source: Youtube
