从地方无名球队到全球热潮, Ryan Renolds如何打造“Wrexham”奇迹
在最近一期的《柠檬变成柠檬水》播客里，我提到了英国Wrexham AFC足球队如何从一支贫穷不起眼的小镇球队，成为现在英国联赛里炙手可热的球队。在播客里，因为时间关系，我没有详细地说，因此今天与大家仔细分享一下，因为我觉得这个案例真正代表了好的市场营销的确能够创造商业奇迹。
那么先说一下这支球队开始变成传奇的起始。2021年2月，加拿大著名电影明星Ryan Reynolds与他的好朋友好莱坞编剧Rob McElhenney一起通过他们创立的RR McReynolds公司以约200万英镑的价格，悄悄地收购了位于威尔士北部的低级别足球俱乐部Wrexham AFC。Wrexham其实已经是一个有158年历史的俱乐部，但此前一直处于英格兰足球体系的低谷，名气和实力都非常的低。
Ryan 和Rob买了球队之后，很多人都觉得他们就是玩玩而已，而没有想到这是一次真正由远见的品牌重塑神笔。购买了球队之后，他们立即投资了数百万英镑提升球场设施和队伍运营，然后以娱乐工业的理念将足球与内容、社区、文化融合，开启了一场轰动全球的品牌复兴实验。
首先第一件事情就是利用他们两在好莱坞的实力，经验和关系，与FX和Hulu合作推出纪录片《Welcome to Wrexham》。这部纪录片以故事叙述方式讲述了这支英国小镇球队的奋斗故事，将球队、球员、城市与粉丝的情感交织呈现。节目播出后非常成功，连我自己也经常抽出时间去看这部记录便。它不仅为Wrexham带来了全球数百万新粉丝，也把这支此前默默无闻的队伍打造成了“网红俱乐部”。而且这部纪录片放映的时候，Apple TV的Ted Lasso也正值最红的时候，因此，很多粉丝把这部纪录片视为真人版的Ted Lasso，借助Ted Lasso的影响力一起曝光。
此外，Ryan Renolds与其说是好莱坞明星，更是一个市场营销的奇才。他创立的Maximum Effort是一家融合创意娱乐、快创营销与品牌战略的先锋型代理机构，凭借他的明星魅力和对市场的迅速反应能力，已经成为目前北美最火红的一家广告公司之一。而且作为A级电影明星，Ryan本人的社交媒体影响力也是巨大。他在Instagram、Twitter等平台上定期发布球队动态、球员花絮、搞笑评论，引发大量关注与互动。就这样，他硬是成功地将一个名不见经传的低级足球俱乐部打造一个世界级的社群品牌。
我觉得Ryan Renolds与传统意义上的“土豪老板”相比，除了钱之外，就是他跟上时代的营销策略。他非常擅长借助品牌合作和市场资源，为俱乐部创造商业价值。例如，他引入TikTok成为球衣赞助商，与Expedia、United Airlines、Gatorade等国际品牌达成合作，让Wrexham在收入和曝光上大幅提升。他还投资本地产业，比如Wrexham Lager啤酒厂，并要求球队参与城市旅游推广，将球队打造为“城市名片”。据2024年的数据，Wrexham小镇的旅游收入同比增长超过20%，因此球队对地方的经济效应带动也是很显著的。
另外，Ryan也非常理解社区文化的重要性。因此，他和Rob只要有时间，就积极参与球队社区活动，资助青年足球项目，恢复老旧球场，关心本地居民福祉。他们在尊重Wrexham百年文化的基础上，赋予了这个小城新的活力和方向。因此，小城市的俱乐部并不注定就是无名。只要有好的故事和巧妙的运营方式，小镇品牌都可以成为全球关注的焦点。
当然，品牌再好也要配合硬实力。在Ryan与Rob接手了球队之后，Wrexham在教练团队球员等方面持续升级。2023年，他们成功晋级英乙联赛；到2025年，他们又连升两级，一跃打入英冠。连续三年升级不仅提升了队伍自身战力，也让更多人开始关注其竞技潜力。包括我这位从纪录片里认识这支球队的粉丝，虽然并不是足球粉丝，但是依然为他们的每一次晋级而由衷地感到开心。
球队成绩的上升也意味着Wrexham AFC的俱乐部估值在节节上升。从收购初期的200万英镑到现在已经迅速增长至超过1亿英镑，增长率高达4900%。这是不仅仅是英伦足球历史中非常罕见的商业奇迹，在全世界范围内也是如此。
因此，Ryan收购Wrexham不仅是一次体育投资，更是一次品牌策划、文化再造与人性叙事的实验。他用一种跨界的方式告诉我们：体育可以娱乐，品牌可以温情，俱乐部可以是地方的灵魂，也可以是世界的舞台。
“Welcome to Wrexham”不仅是这部纪录片的名称，更是一种对梦想、坚持与共同体的致敬。在这个不断碎片化的时代，他们为我们重新定义了什么是“归属感”，也证明了有温度的品牌，才最有价值。
How Ryan Reynolds Made Wrexham a Global Football Sensation
On the latest episode of the "Turn Lemons Into Lemonade" podcast, I talked about how the British football club Wrexham AFC transformed from a small-town no-name team into one of the hottest clubs in the English football league. Due to time constraints, I didn’t go into much detail in the podcast, so I’d like to share more with everyone today, because I believe this case truly illustrates how good marketing can create a business miracle.
The story begins in February 2021, when Canadian movie star Ryan Reynolds and his Hollywood screenwriter friend Rob McElhenney quietly acquired Wrexham AFC, a lower-tier football club in northern Wales, for about £2 million through their company RR McReynolds. Wrexham is a club with a 158-year history, but it had long been a lower-tier English football club, with very little awareness or competitiveness.
When Ryan and Rob bought the team, many people thought they were doing it for fun. Few realized this was actually a visionary act of brand reinvention. After the purchase, they immediately invested millions of pounds to upgrade the stadium and team operations. Then, with a mindset rooted in the entertainment industry, they merged football with content, community, and culture, kicking off a globally resonant experiment in brand revival.
The first major step was leveraging their Hollywood expertise, experience, and connections to launch the documentary Welcome to Wrexham in collaboration with FX and Hulu. The series told the story of this small-town British club through compelling storytelling, weaving together the emotions of the team, players, city, and fans. The show was a great success and entertaining, so much so that I myself regularly made time to watch it. It not only brought millions of new fans to Wrexham globally but also turned this once-anonymous team into a viral football brand. The documentary aired right around the time when Ted Lasso was at its peak popularity on Apple TV, so many fans even referred to Welcome to Wrexham as a "real-life Ted Lasso," riding that wave of cultural resonance and visibility.
More than just a Hollywood actor, Ryan Reynolds is also a marketing genius. He founded Maximum Effort, a innovative creative agency that blends entertainment, fast-creation marketing, and brand strategy. Thanks to his charisma and rapid market instincts, it has become one of the hottest advertising firms in North America. As a top-tier movie star, Ryan’s influence on social media is also massive. He regularly posts updates about the team, behind-the-scenes moments, and funny commentary on platforms like Instagram and Twitter, generating a huge amount of attention and engagement. His efforts successfully transformed an unknown lower-league football club into a world-class brand.
Unlike the stereotypical "rich owner," Ryan’s strength lies not just in capital but in his ability to align with modern marketing strategies. He excels at leveraging brand partnerships and market resources to generate commercial value for the club. For example, he brought in TikTok as a jersey sponsor, secured brand deals with Expedia, United Airlines, and Gatorade, and invested in local businesses like Wrexham Lager Brewery. He also encouraged the team to take part in promoting city tourism, positioning Wrexham AFC as a "city brand ambassador." According to 2024 data, Wrexham's tourism revenue grew by over 20% year-over-year, showing the club’s economic impact on the local community.
Ryan also deeply understands the importance of community culture. Whenever possible, he and Rob actively participate in community activities, fund youth football programs, restore aging stadium infrastructure, and show real care for local residents. By respecting Wrexham’s century-old traditions while injecting new energy and direction, they’ve given the small town a fresh sense of identity. This proves that small-town clubs aren't destined to remain unknown. With compelling storytelling and smart management, even the most modest no-name brands can capture global attention.
Of course, strong branding must be backed by results. Since Ryan and Rob took over, Wrexham has consistently upgraded its coaching and player lineup. In 2023, they were promoted to League Two; by 2025, they had earned back-to-back promotions into the Championship. This three-year rise not only boosted the club’s competitiveness but also drew even more attention to its potential. I, too (though not a football fan), felt genuinely happy for them every time they moved up a league.
The rise in performance also dramatically increased the club’s valuation. From an initial purchase price of £2 million, Wrexham AFC’s estimated value has now surged past £100 million, a staggering 4,900% increase. This is not only a rare business feat in British football history but also a remarkable global case.
Therefore, Ryan Reynolds’ acquisition of Wrexham is more than a sports investment; it’s a masterclass in brand strategy, cultural reinvention, and storytelling. Through a cross-disciplinary approach, he has shown that sports can entertain, brands can be warm, and a football club can be both the soul of a town and a presence on the world stage. Welcome to Wrexham isn’t just a documentary title, it’s a tribute to dreams, perseverance, and community. In this fragmented era, Ryan and Rob have redefined what belonging means, and proved that brands with heart are the most valuable of all.