Rob McElhenney reveals epiphany that inspired Wrexham takeover
Rob McElhenney’s philosophy on sports ownership proves he and Wrexham truly were a dream pairing. McElhenney and fellow actor Ryan Reynolds completed their takeover of the Welsh club in February 2021, giving a much-needed jolt to a team that had been stuck in non league purgatory since 2008. Reynolds and McElhenney have funded Wrexham’s return to the third tierGetty Images - Getty The presence of the Hollywood pair also breathed new life into the city as tourism revenue in Wrexham reached a staggering £180million in 2023, a nearly-50 per cent increase on their 2018 figures. Under the ownership of McElhenney and Reynolds, Wrexham’s fortunes on the pitch have vastly improved too. They ended their 15-year exile from the EFL in 2023 when they won the National League to earn promotion to League Two. A second-straight promotion followed in the next season, as Wrexham returned to League One for the first time since 2005. Phil Parkinson’s side are in contention for a third consecutive promotion too as they sit third in League One. The recent fortunes of Wrexham are a marked contrast to the mediocrity they endured throughout the 2010s, as they failed to convert a handful of National League play-off appearances into a promotion. It is that sense of ambling along, or ‘middling for so long’, that lights something inside McElhenney as he explained on Hot Ones whether Wrexham’s owner made him any more or less sympathetic to those who own teams in America. “Look, teams are going to go up and down, up and down, up and down,” McElhenney said. “But then you have these organisations that, even when they go down, they only go down for a couple of years and then they come back up. “Then you have other organisations that are middling or so long or always at the bottom. And I always feel so bad for the fanbases more than anything else because they deserve something better. GettyWrexham’s recent success is a complete contrast to their results last decade[/caption] “It has to come from the top, at a certain point. Five years, sure, ten years, 15, 20 years of a lack of success?” McElhenney, a Philadelphia Eagles tragic, used the example of the Chicago Bears in the NFL, as he claimed ‘football is better when the Bears are good.’ It may be some time before the Bears come good in the NFL given they’ve made the playoffs just twice in the last 14 seasons. Another interesting element of ownership discussed by McElhenney is payment. The 47-year-old is the creator of hit comedy show ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ but is also one of the main cast members, meaning he is ‘always straddling’ between a management and workforce perspective. But when it comes to sports he will always tilt to a certain side, even if it comes at his detriment. McElhenney revealed his soft spot for fanbases of clubs who have endured tough timesGetty “I’m in charge of the budget but I am also negotiating against myself when we’re putting together lighting packages and things like that,” McElhenney said. “So I always, no matter what, will always tilt towards labour or artists. “So it’s hard to feel sorry for the owners. Cause, you know, f*** them. “I feel bad for the fanbases number one, and then I will always tilt towards the players more than the owners. “Which you’ve got to be careful about saying that, because then the players at Wrexham are like, ‘OK boss, write the cheque.'”
Rob McElhenney’s philosophy on sports ownership proves he and Wrexham truly were a dream pairing.
McElhenney and fellow actor Ryan Reynolds completed their takeover of the Welsh club in February 2021, giving a much-needed jolt to a team that had been stuck in non league purgatory since 2008.
The presence of the Hollywood pair also breathed new life into the city as tourism revenue in Wrexham reached a staggering £180million in 2023, a nearly-50 per cent increase on their 2018 figures.
Under the ownership of McElhenney and Reynolds, Wrexham’s fortunes on the pitch have vastly improved too.
They ended their 15-year exile from the EFL in 2023 when they won the National League to earn promotion to League Two.
A second-straight promotion followed in the next season, as Wrexham returned to League One for the first time since 2005.
Phil Parkinson’s side are in contention for a third consecutive promotion too as they sit third in League One.
The recent fortunes of Wrexham are a marked contrast to the mediocrity they endured throughout the 2010s, as they failed to convert a handful of National League play-off appearances into a promotion.
It is that sense of ambling along, or ‘middling for so long’, that lights something inside McElhenney as he explained on Hot Ones whether Wrexham’s owner made him any more or less sympathetic to those who own teams in America.
“Look, teams are going to go up and down, up and down, up and down,” McElhenney said.
“But then you have these organisations that, even when they go down, they only go down for a couple of years and then they come back up.
“Then you have other organisations that are middling or so long or always at the bottom. And I always feel so bad for the fanbases more than anything else because they deserve something better.
“It has to come from the top, at a certain point. Five years, sure, ten years, 15, 20 years of a lack of success?”
McElhenney, a Philadelphia Eagles tragic, used the example of the Chicago Bears in the NFL, as he claimed ‘football is better when the Bears are good.’
It may be some time before the Bears come good in the NFL given they’ve made the playoffs just twice in the last 14 seasons.
Another interesting element of ownership discussed by McElhenney is payment.
The 47-year-old is the creator of hit comedy show ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ but is also one of the main cast members, meaning he is ‘always straddling’ between a management and workforce perspective.
But when it comes to sports he will always tilt to a certain side, even if it comes at his detriment.
“I’m in charge of the budget but I am also negotiating against myself when we’re putting together lighting packages and things like that,” McElhenney said.
“So I always, no matter what, will always tilt towards labour or artists.
“So it’s hard to feel sorry for the owners. Cause, you know, f*** them.
“I feel bad for the fanbases number one, and then I will always tilt towards the players more than the owners.
“Which you’ve got to be careful about saying that, because then the players at Wrexham are like, ‘OK boss, write the cheque.'”
