Wrexham Enlists Men In Blazers for ‘USA Invasion’
In its quest to become ‘America’s team,’ Wrexham A.F.C. is set to play four games stateside over the next two weeks. The club, which was recently promoted to the EFL League Two, has also partnered with the Men in Blazers Media Network for a four-part podcast and video series documenting the U.S. tour, called Wrexham in the USA. The first episode debuts on digital platforms Wednesday.
Men in Blazers founder and host Roger Bennett said he first started noticing the outsized support for the Welsh team this spring, as any coverage of their push for promotion drew engagement numbers on the level of Lionel Messi or Premier League clubs. “It became a true phenomenon,” he said. The show also began getting requests from listeners to put spoiler warnings ahead of any Wrexham coverage. Certain fans wanted to go into Welcome to Wrexham’s second season unaware of how the team had done during its actual season.
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Less than three years after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the team for $2.5 million, this summer’s tour—and the newly announced show—are the latest evidence of a global fan base already well into development. The sponsors who have come on board are further proof.
Since being promoted, Wrexham has signed deals with United Airlines and Stōk Cold Brew Coffee, which became the team’s official stadium sponsor despite being unavailable in the UK. The coffee company is also sponsoring the Wrexham in the USA series.
“While the beloved Racecourse remains squarely in its home in Wrexham, STōK Cold Brew Coffee is thrilled to join the team stateside for this historic U.S. tour,” Danone North America VP of Ready to Drink Beverages Brittney Polka said in a statement. “We’re so excited to help amplify the already captivating and truly romantic story of Wrexham AFC as it unfolds here in the U.S. and when the team takes the pitch at the STōK Cae Ras next month.”
Wrexham discussed summer U.S. visits in 2021 and 2022, before being stymied by logistical hangups. During this year’s cross country trip, it’ll face Chelsea and Manchester United outfits in Chapel Hill, N.C, and San Diego, Calif., respectively, while also playing the MLS’ LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union’s second squads in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. In June, club alumni participated in a tournament in North Carolina, and self-identifying Wrexham fans bought nearly 60% of the 35,000 tickets sold to that event.
While the club prepares for the start of its season, Reynold’s Maximum Effort production and digital marketing company, which produces Welcome to Wrexham, helped to ensure the brand got the most out of its visit, including lining up the follow-along show.
“We’re here to play football, to prepare for the start of the season, and obviously deciding to come over to the U.S. was about getting the club in front of the U.S. fanbase that we’ve created,” Wrexham advisor Shaun Harvey said. “One of the things we wanted to do was try and make sure that everybody, even if they couldn’t get to the game, was able to feel part of the U.S. tour. So the partnership with Men in Blazers enables us to tell the story of the club’s U.S. tour to an audience far wider than those who are going to come through the turnstiles.”
Over the four episodes, Bennett will speak with McElhenney, manager Phil Parkinson, goalie Ben Foster and forward Paul Mullin. Wrexham fan and local reporter Thomas Wynne Lewis has been flown in to report from each of the games as well, with plans to continue using him as a correspondent after the team heads back home.
“We want to cover this tour and beyond in an ongoing way,” Bennett said, “Really dive into the club and bring the quality of storytelling that we brought to the Premier League to everybody’s favorite tiny, massive, powerhouse team.
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