I couldn't believe this. In 2020, Ryan Reynolds made the craziest...
Hosun Chung@hosun_chung
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Feb 25, 2025
~3 min read
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I couldn't believe this.
In 2020, Ryan Reynolds made the craziest business bet:
He bought the 3rd oldest soccer club in the world for $2.5M.
Everyone thought he was crazy. But what he did next changed sports forever...
Here's the incredible story🧵
In 2020, Ryan Reynolds made the craziest business bet:
He bought the 3rd oldest soccer club in the world for $2.5M.
Everyone thought he was crazy. But what he did next changed sports forever...
Here's the incredible story🧵
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2020 was a strange year.
While the world was locked down, Ryan Reynolds got an unexpected call:
His friend Rob McElhenney (creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) wanted him to... sponsor a Welsh football club?
Reynolds had a better idea:
While the world was locked down, Ryan Reynolds got an unexpected call:
His friend Rob McElhenney (creator of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) wanted him to... sponsor a Welsh football club?
Reynolds had a better idea:
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"Let's buy it together."
The club? Wrexham AFC, founded in 1864.
The 3rd oldest professional football club in the world.
But it was dying a slow death...
The club? Wrexham AFC, founded in 1864.
The 3rd oldest professional football club in the world.
But it was dying a slow death...
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The stadium was crumbling. The team was struggling. The town was losing hope.
So, through McElhenney's friend Humphrey Ker, they identified Wrexham as the perfect opportunity.
It had a loyal fanbase & rich history. The potential was massive...
So, through McElhenney's friend Humphrey Ker, they identified Wrexham as the perfect opportunity.
It had a loyal fanbase & rich history. The potential was massive...
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The price tag? £2 million ($2.5M).
But first, they needed the fans' approval...
Surprisingly, the Wrexham Supporters Trust vote was unanimous.
Why trust two Hollywood actors with zero football experience?
But first, they needed the fans' approval...
Surprisingly, the Wrexham Supporters Trust vote was unanimous.
Why trust two Hollywood actors with zero football experience?
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Because they promised something different: Complete transparency.
They wouldn't just own the club. They'd document every triumph, every failure, every story.
And "Welcome to Wrexham" was born.
But this wasn't your typical sports documentary...
They wouldn't just own the club. They'd document every triumph, every failure, every story.
And "Welcome to Wrexham" was born.
But this wasn't your typical sports documentary...
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Instead of just showing matches, they focused on the heart of Wrexham:
• The local pub owners dreaming of better days
• The 100-year-old superfan Arthur Massey
• The player whose newborn fought for life
And each episode wove together three perspectives...
• The local pub owners dreaming of better days
• The 100-year-old superfan Arthur Massey
• The player whose newborn fought for life
And each episode wove together three perspectives...
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Each complemented the other:
• The owners learning football from scratch
• The players fighting for promotion
• The town rediscovering its pride
No polished PR. Just raw, emotional storytelling.
And the transformation was immediate:
• The owners learning football from scratch
• The players fighting for promotion
• The town rediscovering its pride
No polished PR. Just raw, emotional storytelling.
And the transformation was immediate:
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In the process of buying the club & creating the show, they relaid the pitch, improved facilities & secured major sponsors.
The club's turnover exploded 404% to £6M in one season - a record for non-league football.
But something bigger was happening.
The club's turnover exploded 404% to £6M in one season - a record for non-league football.
But something bigger was happening.
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The show reached 100 million households.
Why? Because it wasn't really about football.
It was about hope. About community. About what happens when someone believes in you.
The scenes of Reynolds and McElhenney drinking with fans at The Turf pub became legendary.
That wasn't all:
Why? Because it wasn't really about football.
It was about hope. About community. About what happens when someone believes in you.
The scenes of Reynolds and McElhenney drinking with fans at The Turf pub became legendary.
That wasn't all:
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The town transformed:
Tourism revenue hit £180M - up 50% since 2018. Major businesses moved in.
Local shops flourished.
All because two actors decided to tell a story.
But what Reynolds & McElhenney really created was a perfect flywheel:
Tourism revenue hit £180M - up 50% since 2018. Major businesses moved in.
Local shops flourished.
All because two actors decided to tell a story.
But what Reynolds & McElhenney really created was a perfect flywheel:
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1. Buy a football club
2. Document the journey
3. Use show as free marketing for the football club
4. Club provides endless content for the Netflix show
The show provides money, the club becomes better, and the content creates itself.
Each element powered the others. Pure genius.
The best part?
2. Document the journey
3. Use show as free marketing for the football club
4. Club provides endless content for the Netflix show
The show provides money, the club becomes better, and the content creates itself.
Each element powered the others. Pure genius.
The best part?
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All the best creators today are creating their own flywheel.
And you don't need to buy a football club to create one.
Every founder has a story worth telling...
• Your mission
• Your victories
• Your challenges
• Your lessons learned
Share them, and see what happens to your business:
And you don't need to buy a football club to create one.
Every founder has a story worth telling...
• Your mission
• Your victories
• Your challenges
• Your lessons learned
Share them, and see what happens to your business:
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The business gives you content.
The content gets you customers, opportunities & top talent... On autopilot.
The content gets better.
Repeat.
A content flywheel is how tomorrow's founders are building unbeatable moats.
Want to build yours?
The content gets you customers, opportunities & top talent... On autopilot.
The content gets better.
Repeat.
A content flywheel is how tomorrow's founders are building unbeatable moats.
Want to build yours?
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To date, we've already helped 100+ founders get 3+ Billion combined views.
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Thanks for reading! A bit about me:
In 2023, I was a banker in London when I found the opportunity of the decade: Personal Branding.
So, I dropped everything to build @ThoughtleadrX — a premium media agency designed to build personal and company brands.
Follow me for more content like this!
In 2023, I was a banker in London when I found the opportunity of the decade: Personal Branding.
So, I dropped everything to build @ThoughtleadrX — a premium media agency designed to build personal and company brands.
Follow me for more content like this!
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@HWick_Chris Everyone wins - Netflix, Reynolds & Rexham all benefit together, it's not a zero sum game