The Wrexham AFC fairy tale: commerce, storytelling and growth

Last weekend, Wrexham AFC secured promotion for the third year in a row. How did this "lost" club end up in this footballing fairy tale that took them from the fifth tier to the second-highest division in English football?

In 2021, two Hollywood stars, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, decided to take over a fifth-tier English football club: Wrexham AFC (the oldest club in Wales). They didn't just buy the club, they also created a documentary series, Welcome to Wrexham, to share the story of the club and the community with the world.

What followed is a masterclass in how a smart commercial plan and strong storytelling can take a football club to new heights. This project is a source of inspiration for clubs worldwide, who can learn a lot from the way sport and entertainment come together perfectly here.

Of course, the financial injection from the movie stars gave things an enormous boost. But even without a wealthy backer, clubs can learn a lot from Wrexham's development. I'm convinced almost any club can draw inspiration from it for a refreshed commercial strategy, greater fan engagement, and innovative ideas to generate extra revenue.

Explosive growth

Since the takeover in 2021, Wrexham AFC has experienced unprecedented growth:

• Social media boom: the number of social media followers grew from 50,000 to 3.1 million in just three years
• Merchandise revenue: sales of shirts and other club merchandise nearly tripled within a single season
• Full stadium: the Racecourse Ground, half-empty for years, now sells out with more than 10,000 fans every match
• Sporting success: after years in the National League, the club was promoted to League Two in 2023, then straight up again, and next year they'll play in the Championship
• Sponsor deals: major brands like TikTok and Expedia signed on, partly thanks to the series' global exposure. Right now United Airlines, Meta and HP are the club's major sponsors

Overall club value has risen 4,900% since the takeover. The club is now worth £100 million (according to TalkSPORT), largely thanks to its reach, renewed sponsorship contracts, rapid promotions and the club's financial health.

A new fanbase

Wrexham AFC has long since stopped being just a local club with a stadium capacity of 10,000. Since the takeover, the club has built a global fanbase that reaches far beyond Wrexham's 65,000 residents. They are no longer just a local football team, but a global brand.

Thanks to the widely watched documentary on Disney+, Wrexham's social media channels have exploded too:

• Instagram: 1.5 million followers
• TikTok: 1.6 million followers
• LinkedIn: 50,000 followers

As a result, sponsor deals are no longer just about local visibility, but about global exposure. Brands are more than happy to attach themselves to this fairy tale. Where a billboard used to be seen by only thousands of supporters, Wrexham now reaches millions of people online every week. That makes the club far more attractive to major international sponsors like TikTok, Expedia and United Airlines.

Impact on the city of Wrexham

The club's transformation hasn't just had an effect on the pitch, but on the city itself:

• Tourism boom: in 2022 and 2023, the number of visitors to Wrexham rose by more than 50%, largely thanks to international fans who discovered the club through the series
• Growth in the local economy: the revival of Wrexham AFC has already generated more than £179 million in the local economy. In 2020 that figure was still £49 million
• Hospitality: hotels, restaurants and pubs are posting record revenues, partly because local businesses get to stay on as sponsors despite the club's opportunity to bring in global brands
• Employment: the club's growth and the influx of tourists have created hundreds of new jobs, especially in hospitality and retail

Investing in women's football

Alongside the men's team, Wrexham AFC has also invested heavily in women's football. The women's team got more facilities and attention, and the club actively helps grow women's football in the region. That is paying off too: the women's team has already been promoted multiple times. This way Wrexham rides the wave of women's football's huge growth, which also attracts major sponsor deals, such as the one with Expedia. Wrexham's women's team is also taken along on the club's pre-season trips, giving them plenty of media attention and increasing their value.

Looking ahead

Wrexham will play in the Championship next season. Sponsorship revenue keeps climbing this season too, letting the club keep growing. Where does this fairy tale end?

This success story shows how a strong commercial plan, a clear vision and powerful storytelling can transform a club, and an entire city, for the better. The current season can once again be followed on Disney+. Definitely worth watching.

To me, as a sports fan, Wrexham AFC is the perfect example of how the commercial side of sport can lift a club and a community to a higher level. Of course, money plays a smaller role here than at smaller clubs. Still, clubs should seize on this story as a source of inspiration.