Ryan Reynolds is well known for being an actor, but he’s also established himself as a shrewd businessman, who has invested in more than a few major ventures. Among those enterprises is the Welsh football (or soccer) club Wrexham A.F.C. Believe it or not, it’s been three years since Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney took the plunge and became co-owners of the team. The Deadpool actor reminded the public of that fact when he shared a sweet post on social media. Not only that, but Reynolds’ wife, Blake Lively, also shared a sweet tribute to the organization.
It would be an understatement to say that Ryan Reynolds is passionate about his work with Wrexham A.F.C. He frequently reps the team on social media and much of his and Rob McElhenney’s dedication has been chronicled on the FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham (which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription). So it was fitting that Reynolds would take to his Instagram story to commemorate the third anniversary of his big purchase of the sports franchise. In the post, he included a sweet photo of himself alongside McElhenney as well as a sentimental message. See it for yourself:
Sure, the Free Guy alum can be humorously sarcastic when he wants to be (as his faux feud partner Hugh Jackman knows). However, he also occasionally posts sweet messages, which can even bring a tear to one’s eye. It’s just so wonderful to see that the actor has such an appreciation for his team, collaborators and the citizens of the city that has embraced them. To put it simply, these are the kinds of sports stories you love to see.
While Ryan Reynolds’ message is sweet, the same can definitely be said about the one that Blake Lively shared to her own Instagram story. Along with a joyous screenshot of some players and fans, the witty Lively noted that this franchise is one “baby” that she doesn’t share with her hubby. She also expressed her “love” for both the men’s and women’s teams:
The couple along with Rob McElhenney have been through a lot with Wrexham A.F.C. during these past few years. They’ve seen their share of ups and downs, to say the least. Thanks to posts and videos (from the likes of Paul Rudd and more), fans have seen the two co-owners embrace each other after big wins. The delightful pair have also navigated through setbacks, such as when they lost $12 million amid their venture. However, both have powered through and should really be proud of themselves.
It’s also been interesting to watch their journey on Welcome to Wrexham. The Emmy-winning docuseries provides a thorough look at the inner workings of a football club. Additionally, the producers wisely spend plenty of time speaking to residents of the city in order to provide context on just how the team impacts them.
As the team’s profile continues to rise, one would hope that the work involved in running it continues to be rewarding for Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The job is not necessarily going to get less unpredictable as time goes on, but it’s clear that there are plenty of people supporting them. And that includes Blake Lively.
There are details you should know before watching Welcome to Wrexham but, once you’ve read through those, stream its two seasons on Hulu. A release date has yet to be announced for the upcoming third season, so keep checking the 2024 TV schedule for updates on that front.
