WREXHAM’S promotion to League Two has not only brought the club back into the Football League for the first time since 2008, but it has also helped to raise the profile of the National League to a new level, according to a member of the league’s board.
The Welsh side, which was taken over by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney last year, has helped to bring a new, global audience to the English fifth tier. The involvement of Reynolds and McElhenney has certainly raised the profile of the National League, and it has attracted more sponsorship and interest from overseas investors.
Shahid Azeem, the chairman of Aldershot and the National League board’s commercial lead, congratulated Wrexham on their promotion and praised their contribution to the league. Azeem stated that Wrexham’s success has opened up a lot of interest in the National League and that the increased popularity of the league outside the UK could lead to more overseas investment in the competition.
Wrexham has certainly made an impact on social media. In March, the club amassed 150,000 new followers and subscribers across the five main social media platforms, and now has 517,000 followers across the platforms. Azeem believes that Wrexham’s success has helped to push and challenge other clubs to see some of the opportunities that are out there.
Despite some challenges along the way, Reynolds and McElhenney have conducted themselves well, according to Azeem. One challenge arose when Reynolds criticized the league last September over the absence of a streaming service. However, the league’s service began in December, and all matches are now available to stream worldwide, with all matches outside of the Saturday afternoon blackout period available in the UK and the Republic of Ireland as well.
Azeem has praised Wrexham’s contribution to the league and believes that the club will be missed. The profile that they brought to the National League and the supporters they brought along to home and away games have helped to raise the league’s profile. From a marketing and branding point of view, they have certainly helped to put the National League on the map.
