Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney hailed for leveraging their Hollywood status to 'amazing' effect at Wrexham as sports finance guru insists celebrity ownership models are here to stay

The American actors completed a £2 million takeover at Wrexham in February 2021, at which point the club were still competing in the National League. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have taken a hands-on approach at SToK Racecourse, silencing critics that claimed their move into football was merely a gimmick, and it reaped rewards in 2022-23 as Wrexham secured promotion back to the Football League after a 15-year absence.

Celebrity owners are becoming more and more common as a result of Wrexham's success, with NFL legend Tom Brady the latest man to try his hand in English football as a co-owner at Championship club Birmingham City. Dr Christina Philippou, a Principal Lecturer in accounting, economics and finance at the Faculty of Business and Law, believes the trend will continue because of the huge impact celebrities can have when it comes to the commercial interests of football clubs.

"It's a matter of a sporting celebrity bringing in money," Dr Philippou told Saxo. "Wrexham have a touch of Hollywood glamour, and the owners have been able to do amazing things by selling the story along with their on-pitch and community efforts. Leveraging that status sells and helps the commercial side, which in turn helps the on-pitch fortunes as the owners are able to input some of that money into the club."

She added: "Sports have a global reach now due to the likes of social media. All sorts of things have changed since those days, but being able to leverage celebrities is a big thing in terms of the commercial and broadcasting side of things. The [Lionel] Messi effect at Inter Miami had a massive impact on match-day prospects. There's a reason for celebrities to be there, and I think it will continue. The generations coming through now are even more savvy when it comes to influencers and who the big stars are. That culture is definitely growing, and moving with those would make sense from a commercial side. I don't think it's something we'll stop seeing anytime soon."

Wrexham's growth has also been helped by the success of the Disney Plus docuseries tracking their rise under Reynolds and McElhenney. 'Welcome to Wrexham' was recently renewed for a third season, but Dr Philippou has warned that continued progress on the pitch is the only way to guarantee that interest levels remain high. "There may not be a compelling story to tell if Wrexham had stayed outside the Football League. It would get harder and harder to sell the story," she said. "There is a link between results and general interest. We see that across every level. Match-day interest is never as high after a team gets relegated. Social media content certainly plays its part when it comes to the commercial side, sponsorship deals, and broadcasting. If you can prove online interest in your club and demonstrate true engagement, then sponsors will come calling, and that only helps the club. Sunderland Till I Die sold too, but for different reasons! There have been a couple of documentaries made during great or terrible seasons. The problem is not being able to tell. A few of the NFL All or Nothing documentaries have been made as the chosen club has had an average season, and they never sell particularly well as it makes for less interesting viewing."

Reynolds and McElhenney have made no secret of their goal to take Wrexham all the way to the Premier League, and they are currently in good shape for back-to-back promotions under manager Phil Parkinson. The Red Dragons are sitting fourth in the 2023-24 League Two table after 18 games, and will be back in action at home to Morecambe on November 25.