London (AFP) – Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have helped Welsh football club Wrexham secure record financial results. The club’s increasing popularity in the United States with their two A-list co-owners at the helm helped push revenue to £26.7 million ($34.5 million) in their latest accounts, up 155 percent on the previous year.
The club, who play in the third tier of the English game, said they generated more than half (52.1 percent) of their record turnover from outside Europe, primarily North America, for the year ending June 30, 2024. That compared to 24.6 percent generated outside Europe in the previous year’s figures.
The club said that the spectacular rise highlighted the impact of the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary series on Disney Plus, with the fourth instalment currently being filmed. “While the documentary does not contribute any direct financial return for the club, it delivers incredible global exposure for the Wrexham brand and provides the club with a unique marketing platform that can be monetised through the delivery of TV exposure for our partners,” a statement about the 2023/24 results published on the club’s website on Monday said.
Commercial revenue increased from £1.83 million in the previous accounts to £13.18 million in the latest set of numbers. Wrexham said a new global membership scheme now accounted for 25 percent of all club memberships, highlighting their overseas appeal.
Increased costs contributed to an overall loss of £2.73 million, down from £5.11 million in 2022/23. Wrexham have a good chance of securing a third successive promotion, with the club placed second in League One with seven games left to play.
© 2024 AFP
