Ryan Reynolds continues to expand his reach beyond the big screen.
Just days after buying a minority interest in Club Necaxa, a Mexican soccer team, the “Deadpool” actor is leading an investment round for Homage Inc., an Ohio-based vintage-inspired sports and licensed apparel company. The investment, the terms of which were not disclosed, is through his investment advisory firm, Maximum Effort Investments LLC.
Founded in 2007 in Columbus, Ohio, Homage has been embraced by top athletes including LeBron James and the Kelce brothers. It also collaborates with a number of brands including Starter, with which it recently launched a varsity jacket worn by Barry Sanders to the 2024 NFL Draft.
Homage said it will use this round of investment capital to expand its production capacity, grow its operating team, invest in technology, and expand its licensed business with new and existing partnerships. The brand’s current partners include the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, as well as Starter, several colleges and universities.
“The highlight of my 17 years building Homage is seeing how our customers express their passions and build community through our products,” said Ryan Vesler, the brand’s founder and chief executive officer.
“Maximum Effort’s capabilities and commitment to spreading joy by telling authentic stories will only help us grow that community further.”
“Homage exists to tell stories that move people — one T-shirt, one hoodie and one Starter jacket at a time,” added Ricky Engelberg, head of sports for Maximum Effort Investments. “At Maximum Effort, this aligns perfectly with our mission of bringing people together in smart, fun, unexpected ways. Our investment in Homage represents an exciting new avenue for us to execute on that mission. We’re looking forward to expanding the incredible brand and business that Homage has built.”
As part of the deal, a representative of Maximum Effort Investments will join the Homage board of directors and Maximum Effort will contribute a “variety of strategic and creative resources” that were not specified.
Maximum Effort invests in the areas of sports, media, consumer products, real estate and entertainment. It was cofounded by Reynolds, George Dewey and James Toney along with Harshal Dave, CEO of real-estate development and private equity firm Watford Group. It also has investments in Aviation Gin, the Wrexham soccer club and Mint Mobile, among others.
