MOmentum and interest continue to build behind Ryan Reynolds’ desire to own the Ottawa Senators.
The Canadian actor and mega-star was welcomed with a standing ovation when he attended the Senators’ game against the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday at the Canadian Tire Center in Ottawa.
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Cheers for the Deadpool Star boomed as Reynolds tipped his hat and waved to the fans.
The Canucks chimed in on Twitter regarding the Vancouver native’s appearance in the Canadian capital. “Definitely here to watch his hometown team,” the Canucks tweeted.
Buzz surrounding a potential Reynolds-owned Senators has dominated the hockey world since the actor expressed interest at the beginning of November, and the actor continues to fuel the fire.
Appearing on The Tonight Show Monday, Reynolds opened up about how he wants to achieve team ownership. “I am trying to [buy the Senators],” Reynolds told host Jimmy Fallon.
“It’s very expensive. I need a partner with, you know, really deep pockets. It’s called a consortium when you form a group together to buy an entity, and it’s such a fancy way of saying ‘I need a sugar mommy or a sugar daddy,’ and if that doesn’t work out, I’ll buy a US senator which anyone can afford.”
The actor then expressed his love for the city of Ottawa.
“I grew up in Vancouver, which has always had my heart, but I also grew up in Ottawa,” he said. “I spent a long time in Vanier, which is a little town right inside of Ottawa.”
Reynolds’ desire to buy the team captured more than just Fallon’s attention. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman was asked about the Senators’ potential new owner Tuesday and seemed open to the idea.
“He was quite articulate on The Tonight Show last night with Jimmy Fallon that he would be very interested and that he needs either a ‘Sugar Mommy’ or a ‘Sugar Daddy’ with a lot of money to help him,” Bettman said.
“Listen, anything that engages the fan base, that brings a lot of attention to the franchise or the team, is a plus. He’s a very popular and well-respected person.”
The Senators are owned by the Melnyk family, and the process of the family selling the team was announced Saturday, according to a report.
If Reynolds does buy the team, it would not be his first dalliance with owning a sports team. The megastar purchased the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC with Rob McElhenney in 2021.
That journey is being chronicled in the FX series Welcome to Wrexham.
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The Senators were last valued by Forbes at $525 million, with the team’s selling price expected to be far higher, according to a report.
Reynolds carries an estimated net worth of $150 million, the report noted.
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