With the finish line just four days away, it sounds like Ryan Reynolds and The Remington Group are letting it be known they’ve called it quits on buying the Ottawa Senators.
Emily Kaplan at ESPN reported earlier today that, “according to multiple sources close to the process, Reynolds’ bid for the franchise is not moving forward.”
Reynolds declared his interest in the Sens not long after they went up for sale last November. Since then, he’s made at least two visits to the Capital and eventually tied his wagon to The Remington Group, a Toronto-area developer also bidding for the franchise. Several other groups have also expressed major interest in the Senators, two of which have signed up other celebrities to be part of their consortiums.
Snoop Dogg is part of the Neko Sparks-led bid while The Weeknd is reportedly affiliated with another Toronto group.
ESPN is reporting that, according to their sources, “Reynolds’ request for an exclusive window to complete the deal was denied.” After recently putting in a one billion dollar bid for the franchise, as reported in the Ottawa Sun, it’s easy to see why the league’s denial might not be particularly well received. Neither side has made an official comment yet on today’s report.
For the group to let it be known they’re bowing out just four days before final offers are due is a curious bit of timing. It’s certainly at least possible that it’s merely eleventh-hour posturing – the same classic, walk-away negotiation tactic that car buyers use to get the best possible deal on that tricked out SUV they’ve had their eye on.
If the Reynolds group is feeling unappreciated or not getting something they want, it’s definitely not a bad tactic to let Gary Bettman breathe in the public’s disappointment of Reynolds’ apparent exit for a few days.
It’s going to be fascinating to monitor this story for the next week or so. And with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars involved, we should have counted on a surprise ending.
