Why Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney Bought Wrexham AFC (& How Much They Spent)
Ryan Reynolds, arguably one of the most famous faces on the planet, is known for a lot of things. Most fans recognize him as the badass mercenary Deadpool in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the uber-charming leading man in films like "The Proposal," "Just Friends," and "Definitely, Maybe." Perhaps you might also know him as the proprietor of the liquor brand Aviation Gin, as well as the prepaid carrier Mint Mobile.
Aside from being a renowned actor, Reynolds is also an entrepreneur in every sense of the word, so much so that he has also dabbled in industries you otherwise wouldn't think he is interested in. In 2021, he, along with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, bought fifth-tier football club Wrexham AFC. "Whether you're talking about the unexpected nature of sports, low-cost wireless, gin, connected TV marketing ... the connective tissue between each one of those things is actually, ironically, storytelling, the same way it is with movies," Reynolds told The Washington Post of his entrepreneurship philosophy. "That's the thing I love about these businesses."
For so long, fans have known Reynolds to be a giant hockey fan, so it would make more sense for him to invest in his favorite hockey team. So, why pivot to another sport? And why Wrexham of all teams, considering that it belongs to the lowest level of professional football in England?
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney picked a team with heart and potential
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney made headlines when they bought Wrexham AFC, but most people don't know that there's a third person involved: British comedian and writer Humphrey Ker, who was apparently the person responsible for sparking McElhenney's passion for soccer. "I'm laying claim to the fact (Rob's) interest in football derives from several years of teasing me for watching football during our lunch breaks at work," Ker told BBC. "Until eventually, just by pure osmosis, I got him interested in the game to the degree that he decides to buy a football team."
Speaking with The Athletic, McElhenney admitted that it was "always a dream of mine" to be associated with a sports team, so he enlisted the help of Reynolds to buy Wrexham AFC because, well... he needed "movie star money." Oddly enough, they had never met in person and their friendship existed primarily over text, only because Reynolds had slid into his DMs to tell him that he was a huge fan of his work.
With both actors knowing basically zilch about football, it was Ker who was tasked with helping find a team to throw their money at. And, per the writer, "it was purely a desire to find a place that wore its heart on its sleeve as a football town and that needed a bit of a helping hand." By 2021, Reynolds and McElhenney found themselves the new co-owners of Wrexham AFC, which they reportedly bought for $2.5 million.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have big hopes for the team
It might seem odd for two actors to buy a football team from a country neither grew up in, but to them, it's not all fun and games. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are committed to helping Wrexham AFC advance to the big leagues.
"In 10 years' time, the plan has and always will be the Premier League," Reynolds said of his vision to the BBC. "If it's theoretically possible to go from the fifth tier to the Premier League, why wouldn't we try? Nobody has ever done anything great in this world thinking: You know what, let's go halfway, so let's go all the way, and we believe we can do that." In their The Athletic interview, Reynolds also added that he feels that the team's future rests on his shoulders. "We are here to say that we're gonna be responsible, respectful and reverent of the institution that is Wrexham and that we're going to do everything we can to grow this and build this." And while they were presented with other opportunities in the sports world, McElhenney said that "we're focused wholly and solely on Wrexham because we can't get this wrong."
According to Humphrey Ker, Wrexham couldn't be more grateful. "Rob and Ryan have been already canonized there, there are statues going up around the town," he told BBC. "But there's no point in having two rich famous owners if we don't maximize all of that to deliver results on the pitch, and results in the community."