Wrexham's US revenue compared to UK becomes clear as huge wage bill figure emerges
Wrexham's latest accounts show they achieved a huge turnover of £26.7m under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's ownership, with a large chunk of that coming from North America
The impact of Wrexham's popularity in the US has become clear as the UK market is now responsible for less than half of the club's annual turnover. Newly released account figures show the Welsh side, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, saw turnover sky rocket by 155 per cent to an astonishing £26.7million during the financial year ending in June 2024.
A total of 52.1 per cent of that amount came from the rest of the world - mainly North America - compared to 47.5 per cent from the UK and the remainder from Europe. Wrexham have become hugely popular over the pond off the back of the success of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary.
The traction of the series has also helped them secure big money commercial deals, with United Airlines sponsoring the club's shirts and SToK Cold Brew Coffee paying for stadium-naming rights. Those tie-ups saw sponsorship revenue jump from £1.9m to £13.2m.
The latest financial filings also reveal Wrexham had a whopping wage bill of just over £11m for the 12-month period when the club was still playing in League Two - an increase from £6.9m in 2022-23. The number of employees rose to 255 from 199, with the women's team now included in the headcount after turning semi-pro last season.
After clinching promotion in their last two campaigns, Phil Parkinson's side are currently second in League One and aiming to reach the Championship.
One US supporter who is following the progress closely is Josh Anthony, who runs the Local Pundit fan channel on YouTube from his home in LA. He believes the club's rags to riches story and the warm welcome provided to international visitors by people in Wrexham have been key to making it big stateside.
"Americans love an underdog story and Wrexham's journey of rising against the odds from the non-league ashes is an unbeaten narrative in all sports," Anthony said. "Ryan and Rob's purchase, along with the documentary, brought the Wrexham story to global attention - and we're so happy they did.
"Their passion, humility, and genuine engagement with local fans and their love for Wrexham have opened the doors for us international fans to make the club feel more accessible for everyone. There is something tangible as a collective that we’re all invested in as part of this amazing journey.
"When I wear my Wrexham gear around Los Angeles or go to my local pub I get an 'Up the town' hollered at me frequently. When we travelled with the club this past summer on the Wrex Coast Tour there were thousands of people in Wrexham gear."
He added: "The locals are so willing to help folks traveling to Wrexham. I've witnessed local Wrexham folk assist with tickets, transportation and even welcoming international fans to stay in their homes - it's incredible. The locals set the tone for everyone to feel welcome and it's lovely."
Wrexham's Emmy-winning TV series has provided the club with a huge financial boost since Reynolds and McElhenney bought the club in February 2021, with filming currently taking place for the fourth season. But a review of the owners' long term strategy is now planned, with one eye on ensuring the club remains sustainable if the documentary is not renewed further.
The accounts state: "The directors are taking the relevant action to ensure that the long-term sustainability of the club can be achieved and not anchored purely on playing success or the continuation of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary. Increasing the capacity at the Racecourse Ground is a fundamental requirement of creating a long-term business plan for the club along with putting in place a staffing structure of suitably qualified individuals that will enable the maximising of all the opportunities available to us."
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