I wondered if he got the idea from young adult author and philanthropist and YouTuber John Green, who bought a stake in what was, at the time, a 4th tier club. AFC Wimbledon.
Most people know him as the author of The Fault in our Stars and Paper Towns but I know him more through his brother Hank’s YouTube empire. They all seem to give off that do-good vibe.
The New York Times ran an article about the show before it aired and it said
McElhenney had spent a considerable portion of lockdown watching sports documentaries: the acclaimed “Sunderland ’Til I Die,” for one, and more significantly an HBO series on Diego Maradona. He decided he wanted to add his own production to the canon, and he wanted Reynolds — an acquaintance, rather than a friend, at that stage — to help bankroll it.
So buying the team was a way for him to make the sports documentary that he wanted to make. And I think upthread someone said they paid “only” three million for the team. That seemed low, but watching the show, I understand why; they still had to pour millions more, including the new field, the improved stands and the much higher payroll.
I’m not sure I could watch anything with Rob and have it not be tainted by “Always Sunny”. That show is like a festering Herpe of inappropriate comedy gold.
Very fun show, I liked it a lot. I also liked how it was completely glossed over that one goal in the last match appeared to be a clear handball 
.
This is what I cynically wonder about.
Reynolds is a popular celebrity. He can buy in to relatively small enterprises and then greatly increase their exposure by associated them with himself. This makes the properties increase in value and then Reynolds can sell them at a profit.
I noticed that, too. Good thing there’s no video review at this level.
Well, yes, of course. The show acknowledges that increased interest in the team (and higher ticket sales) was because of the new high-profile owners (mostly Ryan Reynolds, though). In the first couple of episodes, one of the sponsors was that local trailer manufacturer, but later, TikTok and Expedia came on as sponsors.
I was disappointed he didn’t perform ocular patdowns on the fans as they entered the stadium.
As they said in the show…you cant just buy your way to victory unless you’re putting together a Dream Team or Springfield Super Softball team.
They have an advantage for sure but they were also putting a target on their backs.
I wonder if the series influenced ESPN’s decision to air Blyth v Wrexham this morning? I love watching games at the little neighborhood stadiums.
Are fifth division clubs bound by Financial Fair Play?
I’ve been holding off on this thread until my wife and I could catch up to the series. Really fun show.
But I do have to say the second-to-last episode (“Wromance”) pissed me off. Not only because it was 30 minutes of pablum about Rob & Ryan’s friendship and the special bond between fathers and sons, but because stuffing such obvious filler right before the season’s last episode telegraphed that Wrexham was heading for a first-round playoff exit. If Wrexham had advanced in the playoffs, there’s no way the producers would have shoehorned two or three games – and the jubiliation if they earned advancement – into just one episode.
True… although that sort of spoiler is pretty darn hard to avoid. If we start the playoff game and we know there are 3 episodes of the season remaining, then we’re pretty sure we’re winning the playoff game. Same is true for watching the season finale American Ninja Warrior. If you’re only 5 minutes from the end of the episode, and still looking at stage 3 runs, you’re pretty sure no one is getting to stage 4. That’s what comes from having packaged up episode-length condensations of should-be-unpredictable sporting events.
Heads up: season 2 has started, first episode is good fun… seeing everyone meet the King is pretty entertaining, and the soccer drama is as compelling as ever.
As a long-standing UK football supporter (my Dad took me to watch Tottenham do the Double in the 1960/61 season), I think this series is brilliant. 
It explains the League system (with promotion + relegation) clearly to newcomers, shows the atmosphere at the ground and introduces the players, manager, backroom staff and supporters.
There are amusing episodes (usually featuring the two Hollywood owners), pure football episodes and respectful emotional episodes (covering an autistic supporter and a player with an autistic child as well as a mining disaster that affected the whole town.)
There are two completed seasons and a third in production.
Top quality throughout.
R&R’s takeover of the club is, to my mind, the Platonic ideal of cross-marketing to achieve enlightened self-interest.
If one only considers the club itself, they are (according to one of the episodes) about £28m in the hole including the infrastructure costs (that new stand ain’t cheap). But the show itself generates money as well as global publicity for the club AND for products like Aviation Gin (prominently featured) AND for the various shows and films the owners are involved in and and and and…
Honestly, it’s an education to watch. Yes, they’re a couple of rich guys (although Reynolds seems to be the far bigger investor) who bought a club but it seems to be a lot more than a vanity project. They seem to be achieving the impossible: to have a winning club AND save the town AND make money AND come out as heroes, and even from the most cynical viewpoint this is all a work of genius. I really wonder whose idea it was (the show indicated McIlhenny was the initial driving force, but I’d love to see that business plan…).
Nice to see the women’s team getting their turn in the spotlight this season. I suspect the youth teams will have theirs next season.
Yes indeed.
The show generates money (season 3 is on the way) and has been nominated for six Primetime Emmys. Several of Ryan’s products have been mentioned in the show too.
The £28 million ‘loss’ is misleading. The value of the club has increased significantly, due to the increased ground capacity and promotion (which brings in £1 million a year payment from the League itself.)
Also the local council have are funding a large amount of the new stand cost.
Wrexham FC: Council pledges funding for new Kop stand - BBC News
Wrexham are currently doing well and looking for a second promotion - and the town itself is ecstatic about the success.
Jolly good show!
Completely agree with both. It’s textbook marketainment*.
My wife and I love the show, and she’s even floated the idea of visiting Wales next year. I wonder how much tourism has been boosted since the show’s debut.
(*a much better example, IMO, than Barbie.)
Prior to their purchase of the team, the main sponsor was a trailer manufacturer. Now it’s TikTok, Expedia and other major brands. I assume they’re all paying more for the privilege. And the team has acquired fans worldwide as a result of the TV show, and some of those are buying t-shirts and other merchandise.
I was surprised at how little they put into the initial purchase, but of course that is dwarfed by what they’ve put into it since then.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the second season! I watched S1 largely out of curiosity, and because Ted Lasso and Amazon’s All or Nothing series had led to a genuine interest in English football. I figured that during S2 I’d get tired of the Hollywood of it all, but I liked all of it.
When my football interest began, I did some research to determine what “my” team would be. I’m American, but my family lived in North Yorkshire for a couple of years: for a little while now I’ve been a proud Harrogate Town supporter. So while I was happy that Wrexham got promoted and I’ll definitely watch S3, I can’t quite root for them as they’re now in the same league as Harrogate Town – in fact, Wrexham will be at Town tomorrow night.
(I actually spoilered myself while watching S2, because at one point I looked up who else is in Harrogate Town’s league and saw Wrexham listed! 
)
Another football-themed program is Sunderland 'Til I Die. And in fact watching it was what inspired Rob McElhenney to buy a football club.