Ryan Reynolds appears keen to expand his sports portfolio as the Hollywood actor is reportedly interested in owning the Ottawa Senators if news of the NHL team’s sale holds true.
Of course, this isn’t Reynolds’ first venture into the sport; in 2020 he and partner Rob McElhenney acquired small Welsh football team AFC Wrexham, adding to the actor’s other ventures such as Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile and his production company Maximum Effort. Ryan Reynolds’ purchase of Wrexham was perhaps his most high-profile venture, due to the popularity of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series, which follows the team’s journey out of the depths of English football.
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Ryan Reynolds eager to buy Ottawa Senators
The 46-year-old Canadian actor would consider buying the Ottawa Senators if the NHL organization starts looking for a buyer. The Sens’ current owners, the Melnyk family, are reportedly considering selling the franchise just seven months after Eugene Melnyk’s death.
According to a source close to dead Pool star, the actor firmly believes the Senators should stay in Ottawa if they are sold to another bidder. Sportico last valued the Senators at $655 million, a 21% increase from a previous valuation of $500 million.
Related: How Ryan Reynolds buying Wrexham AFC was secretly a genius marketing move despite nearly breaking up his marriage to Blake Lively
Whereas Ryan Reynolds may not have that kind of wealth on hand, he could play a vital role in generating funds and finding investors willing to pitch in to help the team become a bigger media sensation, just like Wrexham the is in the football world. Reynolds grew up in Vancouver, Canada, and while he has no direct connection to Ottawa, keeping senators in the city would be a critical part of any proposal he takes part in.
Ottawa Senators Team History
The Ottawa Senators take their name from a former NHL team formed in 1883 when the sport began, and the organization has a considerably more illustrious long history than Wrexham, having won 11 Stanley Cups before the start of the Second World War.
Prior to his death, Eugene Melnyk and the senators were embroiled in a lawsuit over a botched proposal involving a new arena with a company named LeBreton Flats, with the dispute now becoming a billion-dollar problem for any future owner. Melnyk, who died in March this year aged 62, bought the team in 2003 and owned it until his death when his daughters Anna and Olivia took it over.
Still, the idea of Ryan Reynolds owning the NHL is enticing, especially if accompanied by wholesome entertainment like Welcome to Wrexham, which has already been extended for a second season.
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Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney paid $2.5 million to buy one of the oldest football clubs in the world, Welsh club Wrexham, in November 2020.
Source: Youtube
