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Photo credit: Markbarnes, “Wrexham FC”, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.5.
Post by Adam Gerad:
Why should someone care about a second division soccer team located thousands of miles away from them in Wales? For Wrexham, the answer begins with giving people a story worth investing in. Wins can give fans reason to celebrate, but I think a team identity gives them a reason to latch on.
The team is owned by celebrity duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney which brings obvious recognition from the jump. But, I feel that the more interesting marketing move was when they decided to go all in on FX’s Welcome to Wrexham which gave viewers a deep dive into the operation of a small club with big dreams.
https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/welcome-to-wrexham/video-extras/video/6a3962474cedfd0001920ff6
Video credit: FX, “The Transfer Window Brings Tough Goodbyes,” Welcome to Wrexham.
When looking from a sports marketing lens, this is another point of access for new fans. A person does not need to understand the UK’s footballing pyramid to connect with a story of ambition. Those are feelings that remain familiar even when the sport may not be. I also feel that pushing out effective content makes a team easy to root for without needing the audience to be experts.
Wrexham’s ties with social media marketing were built on a foundation of good strategy. In June of 2021, TikTok announced a two season long partnership with the team that including shirt sponsorship and an official account. The announcement came with outlined plans to feature people throughout the club, including its owners. But what stands out to me with Wrexham is the way they blend smart distribution with a story worth listening to. Since Reynolds and McElhenney took over in 2021, the club has climbed up three divisions in the English Football Pyramid. Partner this with social content that introduces someone to a personality, and a documentary that gives them room to grasp the larger story. To me, both these format help each other our, one creates curiosity, and the other can deepen it.
For those looking at other sports marketing campaigns for inspiration, the practical lesson is to identify stories that already exist within an organization. Whether that is an employee prepping for gameday, a longtime season ticket holders story, or an athlete adjusting to a new environment. Pumping those stories across different formats consistently would give followers something to come back to.
I also think that it is important to measure more than just views. Repeat engagement or ticket link clicks that prove real interest show whether attention is building toward a better relationship. To be fair though, Wrexham’s celebrity access does make their situation a bit unusual. But, the overarching ideas can still be applied no matter the status of your team. When a team gives people recognizable meaningful stakes, following its content can become part of following the team. That is the kind of connection I would want to build working in sports marketing.
