Two months ago it was an odd piece of news to hear that actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) were interested in acquiring Wrexham AFC, a Welsh soccer relic founded in 1864 now sitting around mid-table positions in the fifth division of the English sport. Now, that far-fetched dream is a reality backed by 98% of Wrexham fans.
This new move isn’t really that surprising though, considering Reynolds’ business and advertising prowess has him boasting a portfolio composed of at least a liquor brand, (Aviation Gin); a prepaid cell carrier (Mint Mobile); Maximum Effort (his ad agency); and, taking very seriously the term diversification, a stake in Wrexham.
If the idea of Deadpool buying a soccer team seems a little out there, then be prepared to know that Reynolds and McElhenney are not paying a dime up front in this deal. The agreement between the actors and Wrexham will instead operate on the promise of a $2.64m investment and the media exposure generated by a future documentary centered on the club, which happens to be owned by fans via a trust made up entirely of its supporters.
The audacity of Reynolds and McElhenney should be enough to get the attention of a big media outlet or studio like ESPN, Amazon, Disney or Netflix. As of now ,Netflix and Amazon have a wide range of documentaries on big soccer juggernauts like Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester City and Boca Juniors; as well as some smaller clubs like Sunderland or Leeds United.
So far this business venture is looking like a brilliant deal for all parties. Wrexham usually produce anywhere between $1.9-4m in annual revenue and fan ownership were already expecting losses on this term due to the pandemic; over on Reynolds and McElhenney' side, they could be on the hunt for a documentary film or miniseries deal in the region of $3-4m that would easily cover their commitment to Wrexham, while turning some profit for both the club and themselves.
This is all without taking into consideration what the news could do for Wrexham in terms of sponsorship, ticket sales and merchandise, something the two actors seem keen on pushing in their Twitter presentation for the club. It’s no wonder then that Wrexham fans went for it; it’s a dream come true for a team so small it doesn’t even appear in FIFA 21.
Source: Sportico