The Ongoing Financial Burden of the Wrexham Kop for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney

The Wrexham Kop Is Back And Its Still Costing Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney a Lot of Money

(l-r) Rob McElhenney, Ryan Reynolds. FX.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham AFC in 2020 and have been busy enhancing the Racecourse since then. The project has faced some challenges and has required a significant investment from the actors.

In a recent episode of Welcome to Wrexham that aired on Thursday, May 23, McElhenney, 47, mentioned their interest in building a new stand as the Kop is unlikely to be completed anytime soon.

Reynolds, 47, mentioned that "The Kop is very slow moving" and it can be challenging to get things approved. He and McElhenney then discussed their views on bureaucracy.

McElhenney joked, "Those who have watched season 1 and season 2 know how much I love British bureaucracy." Reynolds humorously added, "I find it hard to stay focused unless I'm thinking about British bureaucracy."

Viewers of Wrexham have been learning about the Kop and the stadium makeover since the show first aired in August 2022. Humphrey Ker, the executive director of Wrexham, gave a summary of the challenges faced by the Racecourse over the years.

The Wrexham Kop Is Back And Its Still Costing Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney a Lot of Money

The Racecourse. FX

The iconic stand at one end of the stadium, known as The Kop, has sadly been left to deteriorate into a mass of rusting metal for the past few years. Despite our initial denial for funding from the U.K. government to build a new stand, we took the bold step to demolish the old stand. Eventually, we were able to secure additional funding, but encountered various regulatory hurdles that needed to be addressed before we could proceed with construction.

In Thursday's episode, it was shown that McElhenney suggested building a temporary Kop with thousands of seats. They were advised that it didn't make financial sense, and Ker was worried about the stand collapsing and causing harm.

Reynolds and McElhenney made sure to address the safety concerns by ensuring that everything was done properly and legally to avoid any risk of going to jail.

"People in town are complaining that they can't get tickets to see the games," McElhenney shared about Wrexham fans. "It seems like the main issue is us losing a lot of money."

Reynolds jokingly added, "Losing a lot of money is the trend these days."

In the episode, McElhenney mentioned that they were constructing a temporary Kop stand. Despite their efforts, the project resulted in a loss of $456,458.

McElhenney described the temporary stand as "beautiful" but acknowledged that they would not make much profit from it. He mentioned that having the ability to close off the stadium and hear the support from the fans was a competitive advantage.

New episodes of Welcome to Wrexham premiere Thursdays on FX.

Editor's P/S:

The ongoing saga of Wrexham AFC's Kop stand highlights the challenges and complexities of stadium redevelopment. Despite the enthusiasm of new owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the project has faced bureaucratic hurdles and financial setbacks. While the demolition of the old stand was a necessary step, the delay in constructing a new one has left fans without a proper viewing area. The financial losses incurred by the temporary Kop stand underscore the challenges of balancing financial viability with fan experience.

The discussions between Reynolds and McElhenney about British bureaucracy reveal their frustration with the slow pace of approvals and the perceived resistance to change. Their tongue-in-cheek humor highlights the absurdity of the situation, but it also masks the genuine challenges they face in navigating the complexities of stadium development. As the project continues, it will be interesting to see how Reynolds and McElhenney overcome these obstacles and ultimately deliver a new stand that meets the needs of Wrexham AFC and its loyal supporters.