Wrexham CEO Michael Williamson has made a startling revelation about the club’s decision to jet down under to Australia for their pre-season tour.
The Dragons made it back-to-back-to-back promotions under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney last season as they finished second to runaway leaders Birmingham in League One. Promotion to the Championship means Wrexham will play in the second tier of English football for the first time in over 40 years.
Their ascent up the English football ladder has drawn widespread adulation, with a Disney+ docuseries outlining their success under the Hollywood A-listers.
Welcome to Wrexham is now set for a fifth season as the club push for promotion to the Premier League. And their tour down under is similar to their ‘Wrex Coast Tour: 2024’ as they played Chelsea, Bournemouth and Vancouver Whitecaps in the States.
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Their summer tour will see Wrexham take on Melbourne Victory on Friday (11 July), following that up with meetings with Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix before they return to Wales to finish their pre-season preparations.
And in an interview with ESPN, Williamson has discussed the Australia trip, and how these sorts of tours are vital for building and maintaining international fanbases.
“But over 50% of our revenues are from international sources. So having these types of preseasons but ultimately, just being able to connect and engage with our fans through global distribution of merchandising, being able to be available for our matches on streaming and linear channels worldwide. All of that drives that continued growth and sustainability, because that’s really what this is about,” Williamson said.
“I have no doubt we can arrive at Premier League at some point, but what I want to make sure is that we’re future-proofing, so that when we arrive there, we’re able to stay there, and that we don’t just come falling, crashing back down, like you’ve seen other clubs do.”
Wrexham reaping the rewards of Reynolds and McElhenney ownership
These pre-season tours are key for teams, especially those who hope to have a global reach with Wrexham reaping the benefits of their success both on and off the pitch.
Sponsorship money outlined in the club’s 2023/24 books leapt from £1.8m to £13.1m, proving that Reynolds and McElhenney’s plan is working.
Reynolds and McElhenney, two Hollywood actors made famous by their respective roles in Deadpool and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, respectively, co-own Wrexham having bought the club in 2021.
In their second full season, Wrexham finished top of the National League, before finishing second in League Two in 2023/24 and second again in 2024/25 to book their place in the Championship.
Wrexham get their domestic season underway at Southampton next month, the south coast side having been relegated from the Premier League after a disastrous return to England’s top tier.
Topics: Football, Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds
Ben McAleer