Ryan Reynolds, Tom Brady and Glazers all eyeing same controversial investment plan

Ryan Reynolds is among those interested in investing in The Hundred.

It’s claimed Reynolds, the co-owner of Wrexham AFC with fellow Hollywood star Rob McElhenney, has expressed an interest in Welsh Fire. The Cardiff-based side are expected to draw the lowest value bids of the eight teams – having struggled to compete in the first three editions of The Hundred – with Reynolds and McElhenney slated to visit the side at some point to determine how to proceed, according to The Telegraph.

The Hundred has divided cricket fans since its launch in 2021. Traditionalists believe the heavily-funded competition is marginalising the county game, but new fans are being drawn to the sport thanks to modest ticket prices and games being shown live on the BBC.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will begin selling stakes in a fashion similar to an auction beginning in September. ECB chiefs have also met with other sports figures, such as Tom Brady, in an attempt to gauge the interest level of potential investors.

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Brady, along with Knighthead Capital, owns League One side Birmingham City. They are reportedly interested in Oval Invincibles. The group are thought to be attending the Oval in London for the team’s season opener against Birmingham Phoenix on Tuesday to what the interest is between Brady’s group and a potential stake in the team.

Oval Invincibles have enjoyed success in The Hundred since the format launched and could be one of the most expensive teams. The London-based outfit won the women’s competition in each of the first two seasons and are the current men’s champions.

Along with Brady, the Glazer family have also expressed an interest in a potential stake in a Hundred franchise – though it has not been specified which franchise the family would be interested in. Currently, the Glazers own a majority stake in Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whom Brady led to a Super Bowl win in 2021.

This is not the first time the Glazers have delved into cricket. The family purchased the Desert Vipers in the UAE’s ILT20, showing how they are willing to expand their portfolio to suit their needs.

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Officials also explained the reason why some franchises are being considered for sale is due to Major League Cricket (MLC) – an American league that launched in 2023 – gaining more traction. MLC, which is currently ongoing, clashes with the English summer.

ECB chief executive Richard Gould explained as such to The Telegraph. “It’s a competitive global market,” he said. “There’s a lot of competitions. I don’t think they all have a long term financial future, because they are not in mature markets, whereas we do occupy a spot in a mature market. We need to retain our best players, both men and women, over the next 10-20 years.

“We need to make sure we can attract the best overseas players. If we were to delay too much, others (such as MLC) may end up stealing a march on us. From an investor side, we see that this is a good time to come to market.”