From Hollywood to the Championship: How Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Built Wrexham’s Football Fairytale

Jan 11, 2026 - 21:00

What began as a £2 million gamble on a struggling Welsh football club has become one of sport’s most remarkable business success stories, catapulting Wrexham AFC from the fifth tier to England’s Championship while generating £191 million in annual tourism revenue for a former mining town

The Hollywood Pitch That Changed Everything

In November 2020, as the world grappled with pandemic lockdowns, two Hollywood actors made an audacious pitch to the supporters of a failing Welsh football club. Ryan Reynolds, the Canadian star of Deadpool, and Rob McElhenney, creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, stood before a virtual meeting of the Wrexham Supporters Trust with a vision that seemed equal parts ambitious and absurd: transform one of the world’s oldest football clubs into a global force.

The Wrexham Supporters Trust had owned the club since 2011, when fans rallied to raise £127,000 in a single day to save their 156-year-old institution from administration. After a decade of fan ownership that saw the club languish in non-league football’s fifth tier—its lowest position in 150 years—the Trust faced a stark choice: continue struggling with limited resources or gamble on two American celebrities with no football experience.

The vote wasn’t close. An extraordinary 98.6% of the 2,000 Trust members who participated backed the Hollywood takeover. By February 2021, Reynolds and McElhenney completed their £2 million acquisition through the RR McReynolds Company LLC, a 50-50 joint venture that would become the vehicle for one of sport’s most improbable transformations.

The Business Model Behind the Magic

McElhenney has been transparent about the origins of his football obsession. Inspired by the Netflix documentary “Sunderland ‘Til I Die,” he became fascinated by the English football pyramid—a meritocratic system where any club can theoretically rise to the top through promotion and relegation. This stood in stark contrast to the closed franchise model dominating American sports.

Yet McElhenney quickly realized his ambition required serious capital. As he candidly admitted, he needed “movie-star money” to execute the vision. Enter Reynolds, whose entrepreneurial success extends far beyond acting. His Aviation Gin sale to Diageo and Mint Mobile’s $1.3 billion acquisition by T-Mobile had established him as a savvy businessman with deep pockets and sharp marketing instincts.

The initial £2 million purchase price proved to be merely the entry fee. Financial statements reveal that Reynolds and McElhenney invested an additional £15 million in shareholder loans over the first three years, funding the operational losses deemed “necessary to allow the club to maximize its full potential in the shortest time practically possible.” Those losses peaked at £5.1 million in 2023 before declining to £2.7 million in 2024 as revenues surged.

The investment strategy was aggressive and, critics argued, anticompetitive. Wrexham signed players like striker Paul Mullin from clubs two tiers above them, paying wages well above National League market rates. The wage bill soared from £6.9 million in 2023 to over £11 million in 2024, alongside £824,000 in promotion bonuses. Opposing fans grumbled that the Hollywood duo’s financial firepower created an unfair advantage reminiscent of Premier League oil money.

However, the gamble paid off spectacularly. By March 2025, the club announced it had fully repaid all £15 million in shareholder loans, achieving financial independence far faster than anticipated. Meanwhile, the club’s valuation skyrocketed. The Allyn family’s October 2024 investment—acquiring nearly 15% of the club—valued Wrexham at £100 million. By mid-2025, informal valuations reached £350-475 million, representing a potential 17,500% to 23,750% return on the original investment in under five years.

The Documentary That Rewrote the Playbook

Perhaps the most inspired element of Reynolds and McElhenney’s strategy was leveraging their Hollywood connections to create “Welcome to Wrexham,” an Emmy Award-winning documentary series produced by Boardwalk Pictures for FX. Debuting in August 2022 on FX and Hulu in the United States, followed by Disney+ internationally, the show has become essential viewing for understanding modern sports marketing.

The series did more than chronicle the club’s journey—it created a global commercial platform that transformed Wrexham’s sponsorship potential. Traditional lower-league clubs attract local businesses hoping to reach matchday crowds. Wrexham now commands partnerships with United Airlines, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and TikTok—global corporations seeking access to the show’s international audience.

Commercial revenue tells the story starkly. In 2023, Wrexham generated £1.9 million in commercial income. By 2024, that figure had exploded to £13.2 million—a 595% increase in a single year. Total turnover jumped from £10.5 million to a record £26.7 million, shattering League Two financial records and positioning Wrexham’s revenue more in line with mid-table Championship clubs than newly promoted ones.

The documentary’s impact extended beyond corporate sponsorships. Merchandise sales soared, with approximately 100,000 shirts sold annually—half purchased by overseas supporters who had never set foot in Wales. Social media metrics reflected the global reach: within a year of the takeover, Twitter followers increased by 57,800 with 181.3 million impressions, Instagram gained 60,000 followers, and Facebook reached 2.4 million users. Total social audience grew by 192,000, unprecedented for a fifth-tier club.

Three Promotions in Three Years

The on-pitch success that validated the entire venture came with remarkable consistency. Wrexham’s 2021-22 season ended in heartbreak—finishing second in the National League only to lose the playoff semi-final to Grimsby Town after conceding in the last minute of extra time. The setback proved temporary.

In 2022-23, under manager Phil Parkinson, Wrexham clinched the National League title, securing automatic promotion and ending their 15-year exile from the English Football League. The moment sparked jubilation across Wrexham, with Reynolds and McElhenney celebrating alongside fans who had waited over a decade for this return.

Rather than consolidate, Wrexham accelerated. The 2023-24 season saw them finish runners-up in League Two, achieving back-to-back promotions and reaching League One for the first time in 19 years. The 2024-25 campaign completed an unprecedented hat-trick—finishing second behind Birmingham City to secure Championship promotion, making Wrexham the first club to achieve three consecutive promotions from the National League to England’s second tier.

As of January 2026, Wrexham sit ninth in the Championship with 40 points from 26 matches—10 wins, 10 draws, and 6 losses. They are just three points off the playoff positions and nine clear of the relegation zone, a remarkable achievement for a newly promoted club competing in England’s second tier for the first time since 1982. Recent form has been particularly strong, with four consecutive victories building momentum toward a potential playoff push.

The Economic Transformation of a Town

While the football success captures headlines, the economic impact on Wrexham itself represents perhaps the most significant achievement of Reynolds and McElhenney’s stewardship. Tourism data compiled by the Scarborough Tourism Economic Assessment Model—used by 21 of 22 Welsh local authorities—reveals a transformation that extends far beyond the Racecourse Ground.

In 2019, before the Hollywood takeover, tourism contributed £135 million to Wrexham County’s economy. The pandemic collapsed that figure to £49 million in 2020 and £101 million in 2021. However, the subsequent recovery has been extraordinary. By 2022, tourism spend reached £151 million—a 50% increase over 2021. In 2023, the figure climbed to £179 million, and by 2024, tourism was contributing £191 million annually to the local economy, representing 90% growth over the pre-takeover decade and the strongest tourism growth in Wales.

Visitor numbers reflect this boom. In 2024, Wrexham County welcomed 2.07 million total visitors—a 1.1% increase from 2023 and a 21% surge from the previous year. Of these, 1.63 million (79%) were day visitors, while 440,000 (21%) stayed overnight. The tourism economy now supports 1,758 full-time hospitality jobs, up 36% year-on-year.

Hotel occupancy levels frequently exceed 90%, with visitors often struggling to secure rooms during match weekends. The Turf pub, located adjacent to the Racecourse Ground and regularly featured in “Welcome to Wrexham,” has become a pilgrimage site for international fans. Local businesses report transformative increases in trade, with overseas visitors arriving to see the stadium but discovering Wrexham’s other attractions—the UNESCO World Heritage Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Erddig Hall, and Chirk Castle.

Joe Bickerton, Wrexham County Borough Council’s destination manager, credits the documentary with creating awareness money couldn’t buy: “We now have a global platform afforded to us which we could never purchase. The draw may initially be the Racecourse Ground, but once here visitors realize what a beautiful county we live in.”

Challenges remain. Sam Regan, owner of The Lemon Tree restaurant and chair of hospitality group This Is Wrexham, warns that economic pressures threaten sustainability. “The hospitality industry in Wrexham needs huge support,” Regan noted. “Things are getting more difficult. It’s not a particularly frothy industry in terms of profitability, and it’s only getting worse.” Limited hotel capacity and rising operational costs could constrain future tourism growth despite surging demand.

Building an Empire: Stadium Expansion and Beyond

Reynolds and McElhenney’s ambitions extend beyond league positions and balance sheets. The Racecourse Ground, recognized as the world’s oldest international stadium still hosting matches, requires substantial investment to accommodate growing demand. Current capacity stands at approximately 12,400 after temporary seating additions.

Plans call for expanding capacity beyond 15,000, with the new Kop stand central to these ambitions. However, construction has faced delays due to financial constraints and planning complexities. The December 2024 investment by Apollo Sports Capital—reportedly under 10% of the club but from a firm managing $900 billion in assets—provides the capital needed to accelerate infrastructure projects.

Apollo’s involvement represents a validation of the Wrexham model by serious institutional investors. Al Tylis, Apollo Sports Capital’s chief executive and chairman of Mexican club Necaxa (in which Reynolds and McElhenney also hold stakes), described the investment as providing “long-term, patient capital to help Wrexham reach its goals and contribute to the ongoing revitalisation of the facilities and local economy.”

The ownership structure has evolved to support this growth. While Reynolds and McElhenney maintain majority control through Wrexham Holdings LLC, minority investors now include the Allyn family (near-15%), Apollo Sports Capital (under 10%), and Al Tylis and Sam Porter (5%). This diversification provides capital for growth while preserving the founders’ control and vision.

Beyond football, Reynolds and McElhenney acquired Wrexham Lager Beer Company in October 2024 through Red Dragon Ventures LLC, partnering with the Roberts family that had owned the 142-year-old brewery since 2011. The acquisition aims to distribute Wrexham Lager in the United States and Canada, capitalizing on “Welcome to Wrexham” fandom to build a global beer brand rooted in Welsh heritage.

The Premier League Dream

Reynolds and McElhenney have been clear about their ultimate ambition: reaching the Premier League. “The dream has always been to take this club to the Premier League while staying true to the town,” they stated when announcing Apollo’s investment. That journey now appears plausible rather than fantastical.

Wrexham’s current Championship position—ninth with 40 points and three points off the playoffs—demonstrates they can compete at this level. The club expects approximately £50 million in revenue during the 2025-26 Championship season, bolstered by enhanced broadcasting rights and continued global sponsorship appeal. Should they achieve Championship playoff success, the financial rewards multiply exponentially.

Premier League promotion would unlock broadcasting revenues exceeding £100 million annually even for bottom-placed clubs, alongside matchday revenues from expanded capacity and commercial deals befitting top-flight status. The financial gap between Championship and Premier League remains football’s most lucrative threshold, and Wrexham’s trajectory suggests they’re building toward sustained competitiveness rather than a quick flip.

Skeptics note that Championship to Premier League promotion represents a far steeper challenge than the lower-league ascent. The division features parachute-payment clubs with recent top-flight experience, established mid-sized cities with larger fanbases, and billionaire-backed operations. Wrexham’s wage bill, while impressive for League Two, remains modest compared to Championship heavyweights.

Yet Reynolds and McElhenney have consistently exceeded expectations. Their willingness to bring in serious investors while maintaining control, commitment to infrastructure investment, and proven ability to monetize the club’s global profile suggest this is no vanity project. The question is no longer whether Hollywood can succeed in football, but how far they can take it.

A Model for Modern Football Ownership

The Wrexham story has implications beyond one Welsh town. It demonstrates how celebrity ownership, when executed with genuine commitment and business acumen, can unlock value that traditional models cannot access. The integration of entertainment and sport—using documentary filmmaking to create a global audience for a local club—represents a template others are already attempting to replicate.

Birmingham City’s ownership by Tom Brady and the Knighthead consortium has drawn “Hollywood Derby” comparisons. Yet few celebrities possess Reynolds and McElhenney’s combination of marketing genius, genuine passion, willingness to invest heavily, and humility to hire competent football professionals like Parkinson.

For Wrexham itself, the transformation extends beyond tourism pounds and league positions. The town’s profile as Wales’s newest city (granted status in 2022) and UK City of Culture 2029 bidder reflects renewed civic pride. Investment in hospitality, infrastructure, and cultural programming builds long-term resilience beyond football’s fortunes.

As Reynolds told a source in January 2026: “Ryan’s work in the Deadpool movies has generated billions of dollars in ticket sales, but the Wrexham project has been a lot closer to his heart and the partnership with Rob McElhenney continues to bear real fruit. It’s apples and oranges to compare these two franchises.”

That emotional investment—backed by shrewd business strategy, substantial capital, and three consecutive promotions—has rewritten what’s possible when Hollywood meets football. Whether Wrexham reaches the Premier League remains uncertain. What’s beyond doubt is that Reynolds and McElhenney have already achieved something remarkable: transforming a failing club in a former mining town into a globally recognized brand worth hundreds of millions, while revitalizing an entire community in the process.