Ryan Kalil, the two-time All-Center for the Carolina Panthers, has hosted a passion for cinema since he began making stop videos as a child. While still active and protecting the Mariscal de Campo Estrella Cam Newton, Kalil created Mortal Media in 2016 with his former friend, the NBA All-Star Griffin. The 14 -year -old veteran of the NBA veterate with the arts includes apparitions in commercials and television programs, as well as a successful adventure in the foot comedy.
With their play races behind them, Kalil and Griffin became full time towards their bully races as media executives. His passions are now combined in a modeling project after the success of the Welsh Soccer Club Wrexham and his famous American owners.
Griffin and Kalil were associated to buy the professional football team in Monterrey, Mexico, previously known as Fundursores de Monterrey, an association announced in January. The two investors will also produce a documentary that narrates their foray into sports property, as well as the lives and careers of the newly appointed players of Monterrey of the Pro Football League of Mexico, the Professional American Football League (LFA).
Uniting as investors are family names for most American sport fans. Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle de los San Francisco 49ers, plus the field marshal of the Vikings of the Minnesota, Sam Darnold, complete the group of active stars of the NFL. Former Panthers Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen, Julius Peppers, Ron Rivera and Jonathan Stewart are also involved, among others.
The NFL has more than 46 million fans only in Mexico. The northern city of Monterrey, home of the bears, has a population of more than five million people and is just under three hours by the US border. For a long time it has been a seedbed for football, and fans go mass to see that Monterrey’s powerful technology dominates Mexican university football for decades.
“It has been a really exciting opportunity to see how the city responds to [pro] Football, “Kalil told ESPN.” I think there is a great opportunity for us to really build a fan base that is consistent and excited to be involved, but we also get excited about the LFA. “
The LFA will celebrate its annual draft on Saturday in Mexico City. Kalil plans to be there, helping to guide the bears towards their inaugural season that begins in May.
Griffin is familiar with the potential of fans in Mexico. His Detroit Pistons played a regular seasonal NBA game in Mexico City of the Dallas Mavericks in 2019. Before Tip-off, Griffin and former MAV star, Luka Doncic, headed to the crowd sold. Doncic, a star at Real Madrid in Spain before coming to the NBA, captivated the sand with a perfect Spanish. Griffin offered a “Hello, Mexico” before giving the rest of his speech in English.
“Knew [Luka’s] The Spanish was quite good, “said Griffin.” I had everything memorized. And as soon as he started talking, I thought, ‘Oh, this was a mistake’. Then, I just discarded. “Future games at the house of bears at the Banorte stadium will offer Griffin multiple opportunities to review their Spanish. However, sport fans in Mexico could get used to the owners of their favorite team that come from the United States and elsewhere for when it is fluid.
In 2021, a group composed of American businessmen to Tylis and Sam Porter associated with the American actress, producer and businesswoman Eva Longoria and the former midfielder of Germany Mesut Ozil, a star for several main European clubs, to buy a bet in the Liga Mx’s Liga franchise. They joined the three -time Cy Young Justin Verlander winner, the Kate Upton model and former NBA star Shawn Marion, among others.
Last year they added to the mixture last year Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelhenney, who produced “Welcome to Wrexham”, a documentary focused on their co -ownership of the Welsh Soccer Club. Reynolds and Mcelhenney plan to film a similar show based on their participation with Necaxa.
For the Osos group, the hope is that its documentary will not only serve as an introduction to professional football outside the United States, but also as a launch platform for some of its players. The list of 50 men more recently updated from the team lists 20 players who played university football at the NCAA level. Kalil says he has already heard from NFL position coaches who ask for recommendations from players and especially in the offensive line, where he prospered for 13 seasons.
“These are day laborers who, for any reason, have not received their opportunity. They are incredibly talented,” Kalil said. “One of the things that led us to the LFA was that this is a quality football. [It’s] Very comparable to some of the other spring leagues worldwide. “
The ultimate goal for Griffin, who played youth football that grew in Oklahoma before focusing on basketball, is simply to help his team already his players in any way he can.
“For me, it’s about being additive in any way possible,” said Griffin. “As athletes, we all know that the struggle to try to reach the place you want to reach, everyone plays for the love of the game.”
Griffin eventually would like to push his business partners in Mexico, if possible. The Captains of Mexico City of the NBA G League previously played in the National Professional Basketball League, a professional league of 16 teams whose most successful club, Regia Force, is based in Monterrey.
For now, Kalil and Griffin focus on bears and the football counterpart of the club’s female flag. The Mexican flag football program among the most successful worldwide, with its national team dominating the US. On the way to a championship in the 2022 World Games. The team’s field marshal, Diana Flores, has been a visible ambassador for sport, after appearing in a mid -time commercial of the Super Bowl in 2023.
“We are also going to make a flag on women’s side,” Kalil said. “There is a great opportunity there, and that is a big problem not only in Monterrey, but in all of Mexico. We are excited to look at all facets of this and really discover a way that we can involve the community.”
In a country known for a long time for its NFL hug, the new group owned by the bears will now establish its sight not only in the hearts and winning championships, but will also continue to start the opportunity to cultivate football outside its usual borders.
“I hope it may be the beginning of more and more people involved,” said Griffin. “And, you know, what really makes it a little more international.”
