Explained: How Ted Lasso, Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney & Welcome to Wrexham have made EFL more appealing to American ‘kids’ than the Premier League

A surge in U.S investment across the Football League has helped to raise the profile of that brand a long way outside of British shores. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have dominated the headlines at Wrexham, with their documentary series opening a window to the world, while NFL legends Tom Brady and JJ Watt are now involved with Birmingham and Burnley respectively.

There is also American interest in Peterborough, Wycombe, Northampton, Plymouth, Stevenage, Gillingham and Carlisle, while Nigel Travis – who was born in England but has enjoyed considerable business success in the States and is currently chairman of Abercrombie & Fitch – is calling the shots at Leyton Orient.

Travis has told The Athletic of how the Premier League is being eclipsed by the exploits of EFL stars and a fictional character from a popular Apple TV+ television show: “I’m shocked at how many people talk to me here (in the U.S.) about going to Leyton Orient. The pivotal move was Ted Lasso. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked on the golf course here: ‘What do you do?’. When I tell them I own a football team, they say, ‘Have you seen Ted Lasso?’. Then the more informed ones will say, ‘I really like that Welcome to Wrexham. How far behind them are you?’. I tell them, ‘We’re actually a year ahead!’. A lot of kids over here want to see English Football League games instead of Premier League games. The opportunity to maximise the EFL is staggering. All the media money is in the States.”

Reynolds and McElhenney have been buying into that with Wrexham, allowing back-to-back promotions to be secured, and they will be competing alongside Leyton Orient in 2024-25 after making their way into League One.