Hollywood Stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Plan Major Investment in Welsh Cricket with ECB’s Hundred Reboot

It looks like cricket is about to get a major shake-up.

The Hundred, which first launched in 2021, is gearing up for a reboot next year.

The English Cricket Board (ECB) is actively seeking investors to buy stakes in the teams, and it seems like Hollywood is eyeing the sport.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Hollywood stars behind Wrexham’s rise to League One, are reportedly exploring a new venture into cricket.

After their successful stint with Wrexham, where they’ve led the Welsh club to consecutive promotions, the duo is now considering a stake in the Hundred’s Welsh Fire franchise.

According to The Sun, the ECB is eager to attract American investors to the Hundred.

They plan to sell nearly half of the ownership in each of the eight teams before the competition’s reboot in 2025.

For Welsh Fire, this means around £20 million could be up for grabs.

A Potential New Venture

Reynolds and McElhenney, both 47, have already been invited to attend this year’s tournament, which kicks off with a double-header between Oval Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix.

Their other investments include Mexican football team Necaxa and Formula One team Alpine, but this would be their first foray into cricket.

Handling the Sale

The sale process will be managed by the Raine Group, known for their role in Todd Boehly’s Chelsea takeover and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Manchester United stake.

The Glazers, who still hold a majority stake in United, are also reportedly interested in the Hundred.

They’ve recently acquired UAE cricket team Desert Vipers and might now look to invest in UK cricket.

Expanding Cricket’s Reach

The ECB’s efforts to broaden cricket’s appeal also include outreach to NFL owners.

Vikram Banerjee, ECB’s director of business operations, shared that they’ve sent detailed documents and videos to NFL owners to showcase cricket’s potential.

Their goal is to blend cricket with the fan engagement and stadium experience typical of American sports.

It’s clear that cricket is on the brink of an exciting transformation, with Hollywood and global sports giants showing serious interest.