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Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Seen as ‘Real Option’ for Welsh Fire Investment

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Hollywood actors and owners of Wrexham AFC, have shown interest in buying a share of Welsh Fire, a cricket team based in Cardiff that plays in The Hundred competition.

Reynolds and McElhenney took control of Wrexham in November 2020. Since then, the football club has achieved back-to-back promotions in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. Wrexham now plays in the third division of English football. The two actors are now looking to invest more in Welsh sports.

Earlier this month, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) started looking for private investors for The Hundred. Raine, an American investment bank, is helping with this by giving out information to people who are interested. Vikram Banerjee, the ECB’s director of business operations, said there has been a “huge amount of interest from many different investors.”

Sophia Gardens, the home ground of Glamorgan, has the smallest capacity of all The Hundred venues. Because of this, Welsh Fire is expected to be the least expensive team, with an estimated value of about £30 million. The money raised from investors will be shared with the counties, but Glamorgan will keep 51% control over Welsh Fire.

Glamorgan has talked to several potential investors in recent months, including the owners of the Multan Sultans, a team from the Pakistan Super League. However, there has been special interest in the possibility of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney buying a share in Welsh Fire. Dan Cherry, Glamorgan’s chief executive, called it “an exciting idea.”

Cherry told us: “It’s a real option. We’ve made contact, but nothing solid has come back yet. We are still in the process, and they’ll definitely be part of any future talks. All bids and offers will be interesting, and we’ll need to decide which one is best for us.”

Cherry added that people are excited about what Reynolds and McElhenney have done for Wrexham football, which has been great for North Wales. “That doesn’t mean it will be the right choice for us, but it’s definitely exciting if they want to talk.”

Many Indian Premier League (IPL) teams are expected to bid for shares in teams in The Hundred. However, the ECB doesn’t want all teams to be owned by IPL franchises, like what happened with South Africa’s SA20 league. Private equity firms like CVC and RedBird Capital are also said to be interested, but Ineos, who have invested in Manchester United, are not expected to bid.

Glamorgan believes that Welsh Fire’s lower value compared to the London teams could make it an attractive investment. While London teams might be worth up to four times more, the costs for all teams in The Hundred are similar because of salary caps, and most revenue comes from shared broadcast deals.

Cherry explained, “We see this as a great chance to represent Wales, and it’s great value. Cardiff is a growing city with big events happening at places like Principality Stadium, Cardiff Castle, and Cardiff City Stadium. It’s a great place to invest, and we think we offer something different from other venues.”

“We are very proud to be the only first-class cricket county in Wales, and hosting England matches at Sophia Gardens is a big deal for us,” said Dan Cherry, Glamorgan’s chief executive. “When we talk to potential investors or partners, it’s important for us to keep our Welsh heritage and history alive.”

Cherry explained that Glamorgan is “very open-minded” about future investments but won’t rush into any decisions. They plan to keep a 51% stake in Welsh Fire, ensuring they stay in control. “We want to make the right choice for the club and the sport. We’re looking for the right partner or investor who can help us grow without taking over.”

He added that they are seeking a partner who can add value to the club, whether in areas like player development, coaching, or even commercially. “We want a true partnership that benefits both sides. We’re not looking to lose control or, as some might say, ‘sell our soul.'”

Glamorgan’s first season under head coach Grant Bradburn has had ups and downs. Their season now depends on the outcome of Sunday’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Somerset. However, Cherry, who is in his first full season as chief executive, believes that the club’s finances have improved enough for them to focus more on growing the sport in Wales and achieving their goals on the field.

“It’s no secret that we haven’t done as well as we’d hoped on the field in the past 15-20 years,” Cherry admitted. “We haven’t produced enough players for England, and we’ve spent much of that time in Division Two. The chance to be part of a group that can change that is really exciting.”

He also mentioned that Glamorgan had faced financial challenges, but the club is now in a stronger position. “We’ve worked through issues with our finances and debt, and now we can focus all our efforts on improving our cricket performance. That’s going to be a big priority for me in the coming years.”

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