The Australian team from the international sailing series SailGP has been bought up by high-profile new owners – iconic actors Ryan Reynolds and Australian Hugh Jackman.
In addition, the team, which has won three championships in the last four seasons, now has Australian underwear firm Bonds as its inaugural title sponsor, through a multi-year deal also unveiled yesterday (June 5).
Go deeper with GlobalData
The deal sees the team renamed Bonds Flying Roos SailGP team, with Tom Slingsby carrying on as driver, chief executive, and co-owner.
The deal adds to Reynolds' growing sports investment portfolio – he is also the co-owner of lower-league UK soccer club Wrexham, alongside fellow actor Rob McElhenney, and of Mexican side Club Nexaca. In addition, he is an investor in the Formula 1 motor racing side Alpine.
Reynolds and Jackman starred together in the Deadpool film series.
Jackman and Reynolds have said, via a joint statement: "We’re incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure. Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country, as well as being an avid fan of sailing."
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataAndy Thompson, director of SailGP, added: "Today marks a landmark moment not just for the Australia SailGP team, but for the trajectory of SailGP globally. We’re thrilled to officially welcome Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds as co-owners of the newly-branded Bonds Flying Roos, bringing with them an extraordinary combination of global reach, vision, commercial nous, and no doubt plenty of fun along the way too.”
In addition to becoming the title sponsor, Bonds has also been named the official underwear partner of the team.
The deal has been disclosed ahead of the next stop on the 2025 SailGP calendar – the New York Sail Grand Prix across June 7 and 8.
It follows on from the Italian SailGP team also being taken under new ownership, as was announced at the end of May.
The Red Bull Italy SailGP Team is now owned by a consortium led by Assia Grazioli-Venier, founding partner at Muse Capital, and Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, an Italian luxury brand executive, who will serve as chair of the board. Sailing icon Jimmy Spithill is being installed as chief executive and co-owner, meanwhile, while actress Anne Hathaway also has a stake.
That deal, making the Italian outfit the first SailGP team to have a women-led ownership group, is being valued at around $45 million.
These sales mean 11 of the 12 SailGP teams are now privately owned.
In March, French soccer star Kylian Mbappe bought a stake in his country’s SailGP team.
