Hollywood actress Eva Longoria has made her intentions clear after investing in a Colombian soccer team alongside Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Desperate Housewives star is part of the Tylis-Porter investment consortium that recently acquired a major stake in Bogota’s La Equidad for around £24.5m. This high-profile group also includes celebrities like pitcher Justin Verlander, model Kate Upton, and NFL athlete Odell Beckham Jr, with real estate mogul Al Tylis and former Swansea City director Sam Porter leading the way.
This investment marks the third football team that Reynolds and McElhenney have backed financially, following a shared investment in Mexican club Club Necaxa. As part of the deal, a small share of Wrexham was also sold to the Liga MX side’s owners. Longoria, who attended Wrexham’s season opener against Wycombe last August, expressed her eagerness to be more hands-on and involved in the football world, utilising her platform to bring more press, sponsorships, and media coverage to their investments. She shared that she sees sports as entertainment and values the storytelling aspect of soccer due to its inherent drama.
Following the success of the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary featuring Reynolds and McElhenney’s journey with Wrexham AFC, the proprietors of Necaxa launched their own docuseries titled ‘Bienvenido a Necaxa’ (Welcome to Necaxa), with Longoria, Reynolds, and McElhenney as executive producers. Longoria highlighted her active role in Necaxa, from attending games to engaging with the team’s management regularly. She also commended Tylis and Porter’s analytical approach to managing sports teams, particularly in their strategy for acquiring La Equidad.
Longoria emphasised the importance of exploring each team’s unique context before embarking on similar documentary projects to boost their profiles. McElhenney, known for creating ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’, underlined the unifying power of sport to bring people together globally. He emphasised the common threads that connect fans of different clubs, regardless of language or location, and the shared emotions of victory, defeat, and camaraderie that unite supporters worldwide.
The celebrity-packed consortium’s investments reflect a growing trend of North American celebrities venturing into the football world. Longoria, Reynolds, and McElhenney are set to feature prominently in the documentary series about Necaxa, showcasing their deep involvement in the club’s operations. With a focus on data-driven strategies and a passion for the game, Longoria and the Tylis-Porter group are committed to making a meaningful impact in the sports industry while fostering international connections through their shared love for football.