Ryan Reynolds continues pursuit of buying the Ottawa Senators
Vanier #Vanier
Canadian movie star Ryan Reynolds doubled down on his interest in buying the Ottawa Senators early Tuesday morning, confirming his interest in an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
But Reynolds, best known as the star of the Deadpool movie franchise, says he needs some financial help to make it happen. He delivered the news with some trademark humour.
“I am trying to (buy the Senators),” Reynolds said. “It’s very expensive so I need a partner with really deep pockets. It’s called a consortium, when you form a group to buy an entity, and it’s such a fancy way of saying ‘I need a sugar mommy or sugar daddy’. And if that doesn’t happen, I’ll buy a U.S. senator, which everyone can afford.”
Reynolds also talked about his history in Ottawa.
“I grew up in Vancouver, but I also grew up in Ottawa and I spent a long time in Vanier, which is a little town right outside Ottawa,” he said.
“Wrexham has consumed half my life and then the other half might be consumed by something like (the Senators). I figured my kids, they got it now, they can do it their own from this point forward. It’s just a dad-sized hole in the wall.”
Clearly, he keeps tabs on what’s happening in the city. Reynolds and his wife, actress Blake Lively, made a $2,000 donation to the Ottawa Food Bank in April, 2020, in responce to the financial burdens created by COVID-19. Outgoing mayor Jim Watson also named a street in his honour.
Buying a sports franchise wouldn’t be a totally new venture for Reynolds. Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney own Welsh soccer team Wrexham AFC.
Last Friday, the Senators confirmed the team will be sold. A chief condition of any deal is that the franchise remains in Ottawa.
Following the death of former owner Eugene Melnyk in late March, the team has been in the hands of his daughters, Anna and Olivia. The squad has been run through a trust. Toronto-based Sheldon Plener, who is currently acting as the team’s governor and executor of Melnky’s estate, issued a statement last week that the team is entertaining offers.
“Galatioto Sports Partners has been retained as financial advisor and a process has been initiated for the sale of the Ottawa Senators,” Plener said in the statement. “This was a necessary and prudent step to connect with those deeply interested parties who can show us what their vision is for the future of the team.”
Postmedia has reported that Michael and Jeffrey Kimel of Harlo Capital in Toronto previously held talks with Melnyk about helping develop the proposed new arena at LeBreton Flats. Michael Andlauer, a part owner of the Montreal Canadiens, Oshawa Generals owner Rocco Tullio, Andre Desmarais of Power Corp and Farm Boy executive Jeff York could also be interested in putting plans together to purchase the team.
kwarren@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren