Ryan Reynolds has thrown himself head-first into the world of sports ownership in recent years. Most notably, he purchased Wrexham AFC in the fifth tier of English soccer in 2020. Wrexham recently earned promotion to the fourth tier of English soccer after 15 years stuck in the fifth. Reynolds has also explored numerous non-acting opportunities in recent years, including gin and telecommunications. Aside from his acting chops, he is gaining a reputation as a savvy businessman.
Now Reynolds is Canadian and proud of it. Born in Vancouver, the 46-year-old spent time in the Ottawa neighborhood of Vanier as a child. He grew up as a fan of the NHL's Ottawa Senators and in 2022, told Jimmy Fallon he would be interested in purchasing the team. Now that the dream appears to becoming more of a reality.
Reynolds Leading $1 Billion Ownership Group
The Ottawa Senators have been for sales for several months now. This follows the death of Eugene Melnyk, who had owned the team since 2003. According to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, there are several groups in the running for ownership. One group is led by healthcare billionaire Michael Andlauer. Another is financed by the Kimel Family, a prominent real estate magnate in Canada. However, there is also a different Hollywood contingent. Neko Sparks is leading the group that includes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and several high profile Senators alum. Sparks is a long-time film producer and a well-respected name around Hollywood. He's hoping to prevail despite the buzz around Reynolds' reported interest in buying the team.
Then there's Reynolds' bid. Reported to be in the region of $1 billion, Reynolds leads a team backed by the Remington Group. This includes real estate mogul Chris Batty. Reynolds and Batty are reportedly ready to be "aggressive" with their bid ahead of the reported May 15 deadline for offers. Reynolds' $1.35B sale of his mobile network, Mint Mobile, earlier this year was seen as revenue generation for a Senators ownership bid. Bettman and the NHL are eager to get the new ownership installed before the 2023/24 season and would be looking to name new ownership by the summer.
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