Wrexham AFC, a Welsh football club co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, just announced a U.S. tour for its women's team.
Digital financial services company Ally Financial, known for its commitment to supporting women's sports, becomes the official sponsor of the Wrexham women's team for the U.S. tour.
The tour will take place this summer, coinciding with Wrexham's first season in the finals of the Genero Adran Premier, achieving the third spot in the Women's Welsh Cup.
A Humorous Announcement With Maximum Effort
The announcement was accompanied by a humorous one-minute video titled "Wrexham's new Ally," produced by Reynolds' production house and digital marketing agency, Maximum Effort.
Set up like a press conference, the video opens with Reynolds and McElhenney sitting down, prepared to make the announcement and answer questions from the unseen press.
Amid camera flashes and the text “BREAKING NEWS,” McElhenney starts by thanking everyone for attending the conference.
Some compound interesting news out of Wrexham today. pic.twitter.com/a6Rx7vH53L
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) March 11, 2024
However, he’s quickly interrupted by Reynolds, spoiling everything by asking:
“Is this just an elaborate Ally announcement?”
After pointing out that it’s not a spoiler, since Ally’s logo is “all over the wall” behind them, Reynolds then asked his second loaded question.
“Would you say that your reckless spending has led us to the point of needing an ally like Ally?”
To this, McElhenney replies, “I think that it means that with Ally’s help, we’re able to make history by bringing the Wrexham women’s team to the U.S. this summer, which is both exciting and economically responsible.”
After another sarcastic remark from Reynolds, McElhenney is forced to end the fake conference.
Reynolds ends up having the last word with, “Mr. No-further-questions has no further questions.”
Wrexham AFC, a Club on the Rise
Founded in 1864, Wrexham AFC is the oldest football club in Wales.
The club has gained significant international attention since Reynolds and McElhenney took ownership in 2020.
The “Welcome to Wrexham” sports documentary series, which is told from the point of view of its famous owners and how they worked to revive the club, won multiple awards at the 2023 Critics' Choice Television Awards and the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards.
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The pair also bagged the Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television at the 2023 Producers Guild of America Awards.
This newfound spotlight has benefited both the men's and women's teams, as evidenced by the women's team securing the Ally Financial sponsorship and a U.S. tour.
“At Ally, we’re out to make women’s sports unmissable. Sports fans are going to want to come out to watch this tour,” Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer at Ally, said in a press release.
“The Wrexham AFC Women are massively talented. They have the skills and heart to capture the world’s attention,” she added.