LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) – Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney will swap the directors’ box for a seat behind the microphone for the club’s Championship clash against Swansea City next week.
The ‘Live from Wrexham with Rob & Ryan’ event, featuring the Hollywood duo who have transformed the club’s fortunes, will be aired by Sky Sports alongside its regular match coverage.
“As with our decision to take over Wrexham five years ago, we genuinely have no idea how this is going to go, but we will give it our best,” the co-chairmen said in a statement.
“Neither of us have called a sporting event of any variety, let alone a sport we basically learned the rules of five years ago. Either way, it will be another unpredictable day at the Racecourse and we can’t wait.
“We’re grateful to our partners at the EFL and Sky Sports, the latter of which we hope is ready with the bleep button.”
The live broadcast alongside Sky Sports presenter David Prutton from the SToK Cae Ras stadium will feature unscripted match analysis and unfiltered, real-time reactions from Reynolds and McElhenney.
Vancouver-born Reynolds, known for his roles in superhero films, and fellow actor McElhenney, who created and produced the award-winning series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, bought Wrexham in February 2021 when it was a fifth-tier club.
After three successive promotions, they are now pushing hard for promotion to the Premier League and have attracted global cult status through the Emmy Award-winning documentary Welcome to Wrexham, co-produced and starring Reynolds and McElhenney.
“From the very beginning of Rob and Ryan’s ownership, we have strived as a club to do things differently,” Michael Williamson, CEO of Wrexham, said. “The first-ever Live from Wrexham with Rob & Ryan, together with Sky Sports and the EFL, continues on this theme and allows Wrexham fans globally yet another unique way of following our match with Swansea in a world where sport and entertainment collide.”
Wrexham are in the second tier of English soccer for the first time since 1982 and are sixth in the Championship and on course for the playoffs.
(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)
