Glamorgan approach Hollywood's Reynolds and McElhenney over Hundred investment / Photo: Oli SCARFF - AFP
Glamorgan approach Hollywood's Reynolds and McElhenney over Hundred investment
Glamorgan confirmed Monday that the Hollywood duo of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had been approached about expanding their investment into British sport from football to cricket by taking a stake in the Welsh Fire, one of the teams in the Hundred competition.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has handed a 51 percent stake in each of the teams that compete in the Hundred to the host venues and is currently seeking bidders for the remaining 49 percent.
The Hundred has proved controversial as, unlike all other domestic competitions in English cricket, it does not involve the traditional 18 first-class counties but rather eight specially-created city-based sides, all featuring a men's and women's team.
There is, however, significant overlap given all the Hundred teams are headquartered at established cricket venues, with Glamorgan's Sophia Gardens in Cardiff providing the base for the Welsh Fire.
In 2020, Reynolds and McElhenney became co-owners of football club Wrexham, like Glamorgan a Welsh team that competes in English competitions, and oversaw the side's return to the Football League
The pair documented their involvement in the Disney+ series 'Welcome to Wrexham', with the club currently top of League One -- the third tier of English football.
- 'Feasible option' -
Now tentative enquiries have been made about whether the duo would be interested in the Welsh Fire, widely regarded as one of the less commercially attractive Hundred teams compared to the two most sought-after sides stationed in London at Lord's and the Oval.
"It is a feasible option," Glamorgan chief executive Dan Cherry told the ESPNCricinfo website.
"Contact's been made. There's not been anything substantial come back yet, but we're in the process and I know that they'll certainly be included in any process that we've got going forward.
"All bids and offers that are going to come in are going to be interesting to us."
Cherry, a 44-year-old former Glamorgan batsman, added: "There's obvious interest in what Ryan Reynolds and the guys have done at Wrexham, which has been fantastic for football in North Wales.
"That doesn't necessarily mean to say that it'll be the right option for us, but if they're interested in talking to us, obviously it's an exciting proposition.
"We want to make the right decision for the club and the game. We want to find the right partner, the right investor that's going to improve what we do and support us along the journey -- not take over.
"We're looking for a true partner that can add value -- not looking to lose control and sell our soul, as some people would have it."
Back in July, the ECB confirmed they had held talks with Indian Premier League (IPL) owners about acquiring stakes in the Hundred.
The cash-rich T20 IPL, a multi-million dollars franchise spectacle underpinned by the mass enthusiasm for cricket in India, the world's most populous nation, has changed the sport's global landscape, with players no longer needing to go through the grind of five-day international Test matches to enjoy lucrative careers.
M.A.Turner--MC-UK
