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Wrexham ripe for Netflix series?

Here's what the Financial Times Scoreboard has to say about the takeover at Wrexham by two Hollywood stars:

The unlikely narrative was swallowed up by global media. Wrexham supporters told BBC Radio they expect to fly up the divisions as a result of the £2m the Hollywood pair have pledged to invest into the club. And the new owners’ rib-tickling video to announce the takeover went viral — as they surely intended.

Plenty of US investors have flooded into football in recent years, attracted by the huge worldwide interest in the sport and its multibillion-dollar broadcasting deals. 

These huge TV contracts rarely trickle down to Wrexham’s level. When Texas millionaire Kent Teague poured his fortune into lower league side Leyton Orient two years ago, he told the FT that he fully expected to lose money, but that the investment was mainly for him to have fun.

By contrast, Reynolds and McElhenney’s takeover, brokered by New York-based Inner Circle Sports, appears to be a serious attempt to make money. 

The pair are tapping into the insatiable appetite for media content in a different way. The men have begun filming a documentary about their trip into football club ownership. 

This follows the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United and Sunderland, which have been the focus of major behind-the-scenes shows in recent years. Apple has backed Ted Lasso, a sitcom about a hapless American coach at a fictional English football club.

As Bloomberg’s Alex Webb explains, a Netflix-style series on Wrexham could make enough cash for the new owners to recoup their investment, while ensuring the club turns a tidy profit. The free media earned by the takeover is further brand building for Reynolds and McElhenney, a boost for whatever comedic project they move on to next. 

Perhaps the deal is a win-win for all concerned. Yet such a plan puts the cart before the horse, the show ahead of the football. If the team doesn’t achieve as much success on the pitch as the Wrexham documentary does off it, fans will not see the funny side.

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