In 2021, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney decided to invest in a soccer team in England by buying the Welsh team Wrexham AFC, in something that seemed totally unusual, especially considering that Reynolds, a Canadian national, knew nothing about the sport.
Despite their lack of knowledge, Reynolds and McElhenney have achieved something that seemed unthinkable, taking the team from the fifth division of England to the second division in three years, an achievement rarely seen in any league in the world.
Since taking over the team, the two Hollywood actors have invested heavily both on and off the field.
Thanks to this investment, Wrexham have achieved three consecutive promotions, moving from the Nationalship (5th Division) to the Championship (2nd).
Many titles accompanied by heavy losses
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire previously revealed how much money Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have lost since taking over the Welsh club, sportbible.com reported.
In February 2021, the Hollywood duo completed the deal to buy the then-National League club, and since taking over the club, they have invested in matters on and off the field.
Wrexham’s commercial growth
Thanks to the great success of the documentary “Welcome to Wrexham”, the club has signed important deals with brands such as United Airlines, TikTok and Reynolds’ Aviation Gin.
This helped quadruple its revenue from 2.5 million ($3.3 million) in 2019 to 10.5 million (almost $14 million) in 2023.
Significant revenue has also been generated from ticket and merchandise sales, as well as television advertising.
However, despite this, Maguire estimates that Reynolds and McElhenney have lost up to £20 million ($26.6 million) as a result of their involvement with Wrexham.
Speaking to the Price of Football podcast, Maguire said: “In terms of losses, Reynolds and McElhenney acquired the club in November 2020. Between that season and 2023, which is two and a half years, they lost £8 million ($10.6m), despite all the benefits of globalizing the brand and having international sponsors.
“In terms of investment in the club, I think you could probably double that figure, so you’re probably looking at somewhere between £18m and £20m ($24m and $26.6m) as a general estimate.
“I reckon in the National League you were looking at an average of £3,000 a week ($4,000). In fact, some high-profile players were on at least double that, unheard of when it comes to National League wages.”
“If you speak to people in League One and League Two, players were willing to drop down two divisions to sign for Wrexham. It’s a professional career, so you have to go after the money,” the financial analyst concluded
