Hollywood runs on dreams and delusions, but every now and then, a true believer shows up, cape optional. Enter Ryan Reynolds, who lives the kind of underdog story even Rocky would slow clap for. When the spotlight fades, he moonlights as the unsung hero of a very different city. By now, you have probably heard of Wrexham AFC, the once-sleepy Welsh team that got the glow-up of the decade. Reynolds and Wrexham are a much better love story than Twilight, and this time, there is no brooding vampire, just one very devoted Canadian playing the long game.

Since the takeover, Wrexham AFC has gone from local to global, and this was not just luck. So, here is a rewind to Reynolds’ winning formula with Wrexham AFC.

Co-actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney first announced their intention to purchase Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club based in the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham, North East Wales, in the United Kingdom. The initial and general reactions were enough to conclude that many thought of the early proposition as a joke. However, the actors set up RR McReynolds in November 2020, and the acquisition deal was completed in February 2021.

Reynolds and McElhenney reportedly bought the Welsh team for $2.5 million in 2021. At the time of the purchase, Wrexham AFC played in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system, below the Premier League and the three tiers of the English Football League. Wrexham AFC was served with a winding-up order in 2011, and after the suspension of the 2019-20 National League over COVID-19 protocols, the team reportedly furloughed the staff and players.

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With their larger-than-life dreams for Wrexham AFC, Reynolds and McElheney’s conviction and risk ultimately paid off. But what was their blueprint for success?

As soon as the Wrexham AFC deal and acquisition were done in 2021, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney wasted no time fusing their Hollywood expertise for the Red Dragons. They launched Welcome to Wrexham on August 24, 2022, on FX, a documentary show, chronicling the highlights of Wrexham AFC since their Hollywood takeover. According to Talisman, the show reportedly earned $3.2 million from the inaugural season, surpassing the team’s initial valuation.

Joe Pompliano estimated on X that Welcome to Wrexham would have been earning $400,000 per hour of content, putting the roundup figure from the show to $3.2 million. As per the Goal, citing minutes from the club’s Fan Advisory Board meeting on April 25, 2024, Shaun Harvey confirmed that Wrexham as a team does not financially benefit from starring in Welcome to Wrexham.

“What the club does receive is a marketing platform to increase the value of all our sponsorship investors and greater exposure of the club, which is driving retail sales,” Harvey concluded. Welcome to Wrexham season 4 was released on FX on May 15, 2025.

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The spike in attention, thanks to Welcome to Wrexham, helped Reynolds and McElhenney count on lucrative sponsorship opportunities, followed by a rise in popularity and social media influence. 

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Wrexham AFC takeover and the release of Welcome to Wrexham were turning points for the club’s social presence. The club’s X following skyrocketed from 45,000 to 589,000, and their Instagram following went north from 27,000 to 1.5 million. Despite starting from scratch on TikTok, Wrexham AFC has amassed 1.6 million followers. This not only brought the club closer to its people but also helped secure incredible partnership deals across the board. While the owners take pride in being the “dumbest people in the room,” their quality impact on the Welsh team is a case study of success on its own.

From eliminating debt, improving infrastructure, and attracting credible sponsors, Reynolds and McElhenney leveraged their Tinseltown fame to bring global attention to Wrexham. Wrexham AFC has partnered with TikTok, Expedia, Vistaprint, Aviation American Gin, SToK, and United Airlines, bolstering revenue streams. Wrexham is reportedly pulling in four to five times the sponsorship compared to average League One clubs of a decent size. Additionally, Welcome to Wrexham has consistently shone a light on the club’s backstory and the town, generating a natural audience pull.

Their presence at the games and fan interactions helped pro-lifer the Wrexham community, in turn, building a close-knit relationship with local businesses, enhancing the community feeling among natives. Wrexham AFC went from being valued at $2.5 million to $100 million. When Reynolds and McElhenney took over, Wrexham was in the fifth tier (National League). After two consecutive promotions, they rose to League One, the third tier, followed by the latest ascent to the EFL Championship, the second tier, standing a step away from the English Premier League.

Their efforts have revitalized a long-lost football club and transformed the lives of the Welsh community in more ways than one. The Hollywood stars are living their Hollywood dream, and to ensure a Hollywood ending, Reynolds and McElhenney are preparing to bring billionaire investors to back up their Premier League desires. But make no mistake, this was not just luck. It was the perfect sync of strategy, sincerity, and a script you could not make up.

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