
<p>Both within soccer circles and amongst the general public, there’s no doubt that Americans love <em>Welcome to Wrexham</em>. The FX docuseries following the exploits of Welsh non-league side Wrexham AFC debuted in late summer 2022 to rave reviews. And it has churned up an American fanbase for a down-on-its-luck club battling in the fifth tier of the English soccer pyramid. We take a closer look at why Americans find <em>Welcome to Wrexham</em> so compelling.</p>



<p>But what about this story is so compelling to the American viewer and fan? Is it pure Hollywood star power? Hipsterism run amok? Or just the love of a good underdog saga? Sure, it’s a mix of all of those things, but there are deeper reasons.</p>



<p>In late 2020, actors Rob McElhenney (<em>It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Mythic Quest</em>) and Ryan Reynolds (<em>Deadpool</em>) began the process of purchasing Wrexham AFC, the third oldest professional football club in the world. That news in and of itself caused quite a stir – a pair of high-profile Hollywood actors investing in a club that have been out of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/english-league-two-tv-schedule/">Football League</a> since 2008. </p>



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<h4>Wrexham US summer tour</h4>
<p>Get your tickets now before they sell out.</p>
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<h3>Hollywood comes to Wales</h3>



<p>Shortly after, it was announced that a TV show would be produced following their ownership of the club, including the quest to get promoted back into the Football League. </p>



<p>It had all the ingredients to become a feel-good phenomenon. A likable, close-knit working class community. A once competitive team that had fallen on hard times. Fans who had been treated poorly by previous team ownership but came together to save their club. A charming historic stadium. And new owners who are well-liked, fun personalities. They’re not some hyper-rich oligarchs or Middle Eastern oil magnates.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="725" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/WST_20230113_WST_415264_Wrexham.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=725" alt="Wrexham AFC supporters" class="wp-image-415295" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/01/Wrexham.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/01/Wrexham-300x181.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/01/Wrexham-768x464.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div></figure>



<p>Those who’ve <a href="https://disneyplus.bn5x.net/9W1XvE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watched the show on FX or Hulu</a> know that the particulars of the team itself are only part of the charm. We get to know some of the delightful characters in the town – pub owners, painters, local supporters. Volunteers for the club. Regular every day people whose lives are interwoven with the fortunes of their local soccer club. The context of the struggles of the team in the early 2000s, ownership trying to sell their home ground out from under them, and salvation by the Supporters Trust gives serious weight to the comeback story.</p>



<p>Beyond being likable funny guys, Reynolds and McElhenney seem to genuinely want to do right by the club and community. Their sincere reverence for the club and its supporters gives every success and failure, both on and off the field, an emotional punch. </p>



<p>Since day one they’ve been taking steps to improve the club. Hiring a new manager and making big (for their level) signings. Replacing the pitch. Fighting, and eventually succeeding, to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63554065" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">purchase the Racecourse Ground</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/wrexham-demolish-the-kop-to-make-way-for-new-stand-20230112-WST-415275.html">redevelop the derelict Kop stand</a>. Getting the team added to the FIFA video game. Campaigning to get matches in the entire <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/how-to-stream-wrexham-games-in-the-national-league-20221209-WST-411767.html">National League streaming worldwide</a>. Attendance, sponsorships and merchandise sales are all up as well.</p>



<p>The work has paid off in more ways than one.</p>



<h3>Winning always helps</h3>



<p>It certainly hasn’t hurt that since the takeover the team has been pretty good. On the pitch, it was perfect timing for storytelling purposes. The 2021/22 season saw Wrexham challenge for promotion, finishing second and losing in extra time in the playoff semifinal. They also reached the FA Trophy Final at Wembley, but fell in a narrow result there as well. It added drama to the initial season and gave a good hook for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/mcelhenney-confirms-welcome-to-wrexham-season-two-20221013-WST-404291.html">season two</a>. </p>



<p>Wrexham currently sits in second place again in the National League and will no doubt be chasing for the automatic promotion spot to League Two this season. And they’ve advanced to the Fourth Round of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/fa-cup-tv-schedule/">FA Cup</a>, with a clash at home versus Sheffield United coming up later this month.</p>



<p>Whether you’ve followed the club on Twitter, are catching the streams of live games, or simply enjoyed the CliffNotes version of their season on the FX show, Wrexham racking up W’s has definitely helped keep people paying attention.</p>



<h3>You can’t please everyone</h3>



<p>As with almost everything it seems these days, there is pushback to something that’s popular. And when it comes to some sensitive American soccer pundits and fans, naturally anything that isn’t <em>domestic</em> soccer becoming popular can be seen as an attack on our league(s) and sport.</p>



<p><em>“Why are people following a fifth division Welsh team when they don’t watch the team in their own backyard?!”  </em></p>



<p>Well for one thing, a Wrexham-type story essentially does not exist in America. Domestic soccer teams have been <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2018/10/12/nfl-browns-owners-to-rescue-mls-crew-austin-gets-new-club/">threatened with relocation</a>, have <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2021/10/04/nwsl-team-owner-apologizes-regrets-systemic-failure-in-abuse-handling/">had bad owners</a> forced to sell, and suffered long stretches of ineptitude. </p>



<p>And there have even been lower division teams that have moved up the professional ranks such as Portland Timbers, Minnesota United and Nashville FC. But every one of the nine MLS teams who came up from the lower divisions all bought an expansion team. They were allowed in because they had the money and also happening to be located in a major media market that already had at least one major league American sports franchise. Their move into MLS wasn’t due to sporting merit.</p>



<h3>No room in America for the little guy</h3>



<p>Wrexham has a population of just over 60,000 people. Yet if they win enough, it’s possible they can earn their way into the Premier League on results alone. A town such as Wrexham would be forbidden from joining MLS. For instance, US Soccer has <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/organization-members/pro-league-standards" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pro League Standards</a> for the top-flight division where 75% of teams must be in cities with a population of more than 1 million. Plus US Soccer requires a minimum capacity of 15,000 (the Racecourse Ground holds 10,000).</p>



<p>Perhaps the closest equivalent in our soccer system is the story of Detroit City FC. </p>



<p>Started as an amateur team in the NPSL, they grew their fanbase organically, eventually going pro in NISA and then <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/usl-championship-tv-schedule/">USL</a>. Their fans even became investors in the club and helped finance and renovate their historic stadium. Yet despite being located in a Rust Belt city well past its glory days, Detroit is still a massive market and they had to buy their way up. And despite being wildly popular for a lower tier club, MLS would not hesitate to try to crush and replace them. In fact, they’ve already tried once. A failed 2018 real estate deal disguised as a MLS bid even went as far as to <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2017/11/02/mls-expansion-detroit-dcfc/827303001/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">use imagery from DCFC supporters without their permission</a>.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What does it say about the state of soccer in the US when the largest off-season topic of discussion so far has been how teams/leagues in the US can become as popular as a 5th division Welsh team in the English pyramid? <br><br>Storylines matter. Soccer in the US has next to none.</p>— Chris Kessell (@THEChrisKessell) <a href="https://twitter.com/THEChrisKessell/status/1613531492679917570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Aside from the NFL’s Green Bay Packers (a wildly popular team located in a very small market, owned by its shareholders), community ownership is not allowed in American professional sports. The US Soccer <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/organization-members/pro-league-standards" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professional League Standards</a> require a principal owner of a certain net worth (depending on the level) to sanction a team. So a community couldn’t save a club such as the folks in Wrexham did. A town’s residents in America with a bad owner couldn’t come together and save its club, and later have the chance to pass it on to new owners like Wrexham.</p>



<h3>The dream that anything is possible</h3>



<p>It’s the Cinderella aspect that brings a lot of the allure to the Wrexham tale. The dream that anything is possible. A small town who is forever linked with its football club. Their fight to climb back up the ladder. Throw in some extremely personable owners, a gritty town and its endearing people – and some winning soccer to boot – and you’ve got something incredibly captivating. It’s no wonder why Americans love <em>Welcome to Wrexham</em> and the club behind it. </p>



<p><em>Photo Credits: Imago</em></p>


What is it about Welcome to Wrexham that Americans find so compelling? We take a closer look at the success story of the Red Dragons.

Why Americans find Welcome to Wrexham so compelling - World Soccer Talk

Why Americans find Welcome to Wrexham so compelling

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<p>As both a fan and observer of American Soccer in general and the US Men’s National Team (USMNT) in particular, Confederations Cup 2009 has been a rollercoaster with amazing emotional highs and lows. As we all know, the US started this tournament with back to back losses, first losing to Italy, 3-1, and then Brazil, 3-0. While many were calling for the head of New Jersey born Giuseppe Rossi, who scored two goals for Italy, a sizable number, including myself, were calling for the firing of the team’s coach, Bob Bradley.</p>
<p>The amount and tone of criticism was not lost on the USMNT as they prepared for their final group stage match against Egypt. It was Father’s Day and the USMNT needed a 6 goal swing in order to advance to the semifinals, a scenario that seemed so unlikely that in its pregame show ESPN did not even bother to go into detail on how the scenario could play out. Egypt had hung close to Brazil, losing 4-3, and then had beat Italy, 1-0; therefore, few expected the USMNT to beat Egypt by at least 3 goals. But the unthinkable happened, the USMNT owned Egypt with a 3-0 scoreline that should have been 4-0, and Brazil beat Italy 3-0, giving the US the 6 goal swing it needed to advance out of the group stage and into a semifinal with number one ranked Spain.</p>
<p>The US team that showed up in what has been termed “The Father’s Day Miracle,” was unlike the team that showed up against Brazil and Italy. &nbsp;Last Sunday, all of the players looked interested, they all showed heart, and they displayed an attacking style that allowed them to control the match. &nbsp;No matter what we might think of Bob Bradley as a coach, there was joy in seeing his son, Michael Bradley, score a goal in the 63rd minute of the match; after all, what better gift could Michael have given his father for Father’s Day?</p>
<p>While USMNT fans properly celebrated this amazing feat of advancing to the semifinals of the Confederations Cup, some of us still wondered what team would show up on Wednesday against Spain. &nbsp;Was Father’s Day a fluke and would we see Bob Bradley and USMNT return to the same tactics and styles employed against Italy and Brazil?</p>
<p>Even for those of us who could sleep well on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning brought an overwhelming sense of anxious anticipation. &nbsp;Taking on Spain in the semifinal of the Confederations Cup was arguably the biggest match for the USMNT since facing Germany in the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup finals. &nbsp;After the weak showings against Italy and Brazil, it seemed unlikely that the USMNT would be able to defeat Spain, the number one ranked team in the world, a team that had not lost in 35 straight matches. &nbsp;But, the USMNT had played Spain last summer, and while Spain won that friendly, the USMNT had a respectable showing. &nbsp;Finally, in our hearts of hearts we knew that if the USMNT played with the intensity and emotion, yes emotion, they showed against Egypt, they had a good shot at pulling off the upset.</p>
<p>From the moment I woke up Wednesday morning, I knew I would be leaving my day job early, there was no question about that. &nbsp;While work kept me occupied for most of the morning, about two hours before first touch the anxious anticipation could no longer be ignored. &nbsp;I finally threw in the towel about 30 minutes before the start of the match and made my way to a nearby pub, the kind that opens at the crack of dawn on weekend mornings for the EPL junkies jonesing for their EPL fix. &nbsp;When the match started, it was hard to sit still. &nbsp;In the 27th minute, the pub erupted as Jozy Altidore put the USMNT on the scoreboard and ended Spain’s 451 minute shut-out streak. &nbsp;While the goal gave a brief sense of relief, there was also extra anxiety as to whether the USMNT could maintain their lead. &nbsp;Halftime came and went with the USMNT maintaining its lead, but Spain was looking dangerous. &nbsp;After several great early, second-half saves by Tim Howard, Clint Dempsey got the USMNT’s second goal in the 74th minute. &nbsp;Some folks might say that a two goal lead is the hardest lead to maintain, but the two goal lead allowed me to breathe easier. &nbsp;When the final whistle was blown by the referee the sense of joy and relief in the pub was palpable. &nbsp;I would be lying if I said my eyes were not a little damp after Wednesday’s match.</p>
<p>The USMNT had finally done it, they had advanced to the final of a major FIFA tournament. &nbsp;While the Confederations Cup is not the World Cup, it is the second most prestigious competition in which the USMNT is eligible to participate. &nbsp;So today, we once again wake up (those of us who could sleep that is) with that anxious anticipation as we await the rematch between USMNT and Brazil, who squeaked by South Africa on Thursday.</p>
<p>For me, today is not the day to opine on what this match means for soccer in the United States. &nbsp;Additionally, today is not a day for me to respond to the worn-out, tired criticism of ignorant hacks who do not and never will understand the Beautiful Game, if anything, this Confederations Cup with the serious criticism of tactics and squad decisions coming from members of both old and new media has shown those tired, soccer hating hacks are completely out of touch with the American soccer fan.</p>
<p>No, today is a day for me, and hopefully for you, to be a kid on Christmas morning again, to feel anxious, to feel anticipation, to feel excitement. &nbsp;Today is a day to live and die with every pass, every penalty, every tackle, and every goal. &nbsp;Today is a day to shut out the rest of the world, to be a fan, to open yourself completely to the joy of victory or the agony of defeat.</p>
<p>When the match is over and the dust has cleared, that will be the time to sit back and reflect on the bigger meaning, if any, of today’s Confederations Cup final. &nbsp;Until then though, I tip my hat and lift my glass to you Mr. and Ms. American Soccer fan, enjoy your day in the sun, enjoy rooting for the USMNT, and enjoy your love for the Beautiful Game.</p>


ALL POSTS TAGGED "American Soccer Fans"

Wrexham

Why Americans find Welcome to Wrexham so compelling

American Soccer

A Toast to the US Soccer Fan as We Await the Confederations Cup Final