Hollywood pair ‘in talks’ to invest in cricket team

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are reportedly in talks to buy shares in a cricket team as part of their latest foray into the world of sport.

The Hollywood actors bought Wrexham AFC in 2020 and oversaw the club’s return to the English Football League (EFL) for the first time in 15 years.

The Red Dragons are now playing in League One, the third tier of English football, having won back-to-back promotions.

Cardiff-based Welsh Fire plays in The Hundred, a hundred-ball cricket tournament which was first launched in 2021.

Chief executive of Welsh Fire, Dan Cherry, has confirmed to Sky News that “contact has been made” with the duo.

“I’m not sure what level those conversations are at. All I know is that they’ve made contact and there’s some interest in the proposition,” he said.

Earlier this month, the England and Wales Cricket Board opened the process to secure private investment into The Hundred ahead of the fifth edition of the tournament in 2025.

As part of the process of selling franchises, the hosts of the eight teams in The Hundred tournament will be given a 51% stake, which they can sell or keep.

The remaining 49% in each side will be sold by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to private investors.

“We’re really proud of our Welsh heritage,” Mr Cherry said. “And we’ve seen the fantastic work that Ryan and Rob have done in engaging football fans in North Wales and building that brand globally.

“We’re open minded about potential investment into Welsh Fire at the moment, and if Ryan and Rob are interested in having further conversations then it’s obviously an exciting proposition for us.”

On Monday evening, Wrexham travelled to Birmingham for a fixture in front of a star-studded crowd.

McElhenney was joined by Birmingham part-owner and former NFL player Tom Brady along with Brady’s friend, former England midfielder David Beckham.

Hollywood pair ‘in talks’ to invest in cricket team

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