Ryan Reynolds and co-owners change name of club as Wrexham chief makes major decision

A Colombian football team has undergone a major change after being bought by Ryan Reynolds and a host of other A-list celebrities.

The Deadpool star was part of a consortium which acquired a 99 per cent stake in Bogota-based club La Equidad in January this year. The Tylis-Porter group, which includes the Wrexham owner's business partner and fellow actor Rob McElhenney and Desperate Housewives icon Eva Longoria, paid a whopping £24.5million ($30m) for the Categoria Primera A side.

The club has announced a significant change to its name as the new owners start to plan for the future. The team was originally known fully as Club Deportivo La Equidad Seguros SA.

The word "Seguros" has now been removed from its title, according to a statement published on the club's social media channels. The alteration reflects a shift away from the name of an insurance company, which previously backed the team as it embarks on a new journey.

The change has already been approved by the Major Division of Colombian Professional Football and registered with the Bogota Chamber of Commerce. The investment group's main aim is to improve both the men's and women's squads, as well as the club's youth team, according to the El Colombiano newspaper.

The celebrity investor line-up also includes American baseball ace Justin Verlander, supermodel Kate Upton and NFL superstar Odell Beckham Jr. The group is led by property mogul Al Tylis and ex-Swansea City executive Sam Porter.

Tylis, the new chairman of La Equidad's board of directors, told local media: "Our goal is to strengthen every aspect of the club, investing long-term and building on the solid foundation that already exists."

Porter said: "We are convinced that La Equidad's future will be bright. Bogota is an incredible city, full of opportunities to grow and achieve great success."

Despite the change to the team's name, it's been reported that the club will retain its current crest and colours. According to the owners, the aim is to preserve the overall identity and heritage of La Equidad.

The venture marks the third foray into football ownership for Reynolds and McElhenney. It follows their purchase of League One side Wrexham in February 2021 and an investment in the Mexican team Club Necaxa, also with the Tylis-Porter group, in April 2024.

Longoria, who is part of the same consortium, attended Wrexham's season opener against Wycombe Wanderers in August to mark her association with the pair. The 49-year-old star recently lifted the lid on her motivation for getting involved at La Equidad.

Speaking to The Athletic, she said: "I feel like sports is entertainment. Storytelling through soccer is so powerful because the stakes are so high. The drama of winning and losing, injuries, firing a coach, bringing in a new player — the excitement is built-in drama.

"You could never write this. I was like, 'Wow, this is this is the biggest soap opera I’ve ever seen'. Every player has a story. Every team has a story. Every town has a story."

Following the success of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary showcasing Reynolds and McElhenney's adventures in Wales, the owners of Necaxa have reportedly filmed their own series. Titled Bienvenido a Necaxa (Welcome to Necaxa), the show has been commissioned by FX and Disney+ Latin America.

However, Longoria has cautioned against replicating the formula universally, highlighting her plan to explore the city of Bogota itself before moving ahead with a similar project on La Equidad.

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