While Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney don’t regret their 2020 purchase of Wales soccer club Wrexham AFC, they still have not turned a profit as owners despite the team’s recent success.
When the “Deadpool” actor and the star of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” purchased Wrexham a few years ago, it garnered a huge amount of media attention not just in the US and UK, but globally. However, they weren’t taking over a club with a recognized name outside of Wales. Instead, they were hoping to start a resurgence for a brand that had fallen to the bottom of the English professional football system.
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The two actors’ time as owners has given a massive boost to the Wrexham brand due to their fame, wealth, and via the award-winning Hulu series “Welcome to Wrexham.” Which has chronicled every step of their time leading the club. While it hasn’t been easy, or cheap, the team has delivered very positive results over the last few years.
They took a big leap forward in April when they secured a second straight promotion and will now be competing in the League One level of English soccer next season — which is just two levels away from the Premier League. Yet, despite the club’s impressive success in a short time, the venture has not been profitable for Reynolds and McElhenney.
During the first two seasons of the Hulu series, the two actors spent big money to purchase Wrexham’s historic stadium, improve it, and also handed over large sums of cash to get the team a top-notch coach and players from higher leagues. However, due to the money-sharing system at lower levels and the team’s dedicated but small fan base, the owners admitted to the Associated Press this week that they are losing big time when it comes to their bank accounts.
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Wrexham owner Rob McElhenney: ‘You want to know how far in the red I am? It’s pretty significant’
“You want to know, like how far in the red I am? It’s pretty significant,” McElhenney said. “It’s true that in the beginning when we asked our advisors if this was a good economic investment, there was not one person that I can remember that was like, ‘Yes’ [buy the club]. It was more like, ‘Don’t.’”
“History has an unbelievable amount of examples of how this was not the best idea, but we’re not in it to make money and goddamn it, we won’t,” Reynolds joked.
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The Wrexham AFC bosses admitted that they are in it for much more than the money, and the deep ties the club has to the community it is in plays a massive role. Furthermore, they are both in strong financial situations that won’t force them to sell the club anytime soon. Though they admit they will need more financial help the further up the club goes.
Season three of “Welcome to Wrexham” debuts on FX at 8 PM ET on Thursday night.