- The duo have overseen a meteoric rise since taking over the Welsh club in 2021
- Financial accounts show huge increase in revenue – but not all is completely rosy
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The contributions to Wrexham from Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have been laid bare in Wrexham’s latest eye-watering account figures.
The acting duo took over the club in 2021, and almost instantly saw huge success, with the club enjoying back-to-back promotions from non-league up to League Two and then League One.
Their ambition hasn’t stopped there, however, with the Welsh side currently second in the third division table and targeting yet another promotion to the Championship under manager Phil Parkinson.
Ultimately, they are targeting the Premier League, but would likely need to spend big again to compete in the Championship next season, should they earn promotion.
Investment from Reynolds and McElhenney has been the catalyst to the success, with the club attracting players with abilities above their level and launching a Welcome to Wrexham series which flew in America.
And they have delivered jaw-dropping figures in the club’s latest financial accounts, with the club turning over £26.7million in the financial year that ended in June 2024, compared to the £10.5m the year prior.
Rob McElhenney (right) and Ryan Reynolds (left) are continuing to anchor Wrexham’s climb amid the release of the latest club accounts
Reynolds, pictured with wife Blake Lively, took over the club with his fellow actor in 2021
They have enjoyed back-to-back promotions and are targeting a third – and a spot in the Championship – this season
It is reported that club officials attribute most of the money, which is thought to be a record for a then-League Two team, to the Welcome to Wrexham series, which details the journey of the club under their ownership.
There are four series of the show, streaming on Disney Plus, and it has won a number of awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards and two Critics’ Choice Television Awards.
As well as the series, Wrexham have, under the actors’ ownership, secured sponsorship deals with the likes of United Airlines and HP, which has seen their sponsorship revenue increase rom £1.9m to £13.2m.
Despite those numbers, however, the club have still posted a loss of £2.7m, manly due to their increased wage budget and £824,000 in bonuses for promotion to League Two.
The loss is, though, down from £5.1m in the year prior, and £15m worth of loans from Reynolds and McElhenney have now been paid back.
An overview of the accounts state: ‘The 2023/24 season was one that brought success on the pitch for the men’s team who achieved promotion from EFL League Two, having achieved promotion from the National League the season before.
‘Following the early announcement that the Welcome to Wrexham documentary would be continued for a third series to cover the events on and off the pitch for the 2023/24 season, this enabled the club to achieve further commercial growth.
‘The documentary, while not delivering any direct financial return for the club, provides us with a marketing platform that can be monetised through the delivery of TV exposure for our partners and is our “point of difference”.’
The club added: ‘Turnover for the year was £26.725m (2023: £10.478m) which we believe to be a record for any club in League Two. As noted below the popularity of Welcome to Wrexham and the engagement by its viewers are the biggest factors in the 155 per cent growth, followed by the additional revenue generated from the EFL over those received in the National League.’