Former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan believes Wrexham aren’t the main driving force behind the EFL securing a record deal for international TV rights.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney raised eyebrows when they took over the club in 2021 as they set out lofty ambitions of taking Wrexham to the Premier League.
The Reds won the National League title last term in record-breaking style and are currently sitting third in League Two, however, the main driving force behind their success has been the popularity of the ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ documentary.
The Disney+ documentary, which follows the Hollywood superstars’ journeys as rookie owners, has significantly boosted the club’s profile overseas as 5000 households in the United States reportedly tuned in to watch Wrexham.
Moreover, the documentary itself has raked in more than £400,000 per episode and has showcased the pulling power that the Welsh club have.
The Daily Mail have even credited Wrexham’s influence in the EFL securing a huge four-year, £148million deal for games to be shown outside of the UK.
Despite the influence that the Hollywood owners have had on English football, Simon Jordan doesn’t feel they are solely responsible for attracting such a monumental deal.
Simon Jordan believes the Championship is the main driving force behind TV deal
Speaking on talkSPORT, presenter Jim White felt the EFL securing a 40% rise in broadcasting rights was down to the likes of McElhenney and Reynolds coming into the game, however, Jordan doesn’t agree with that.
He believes the Championship, the third-most-watched league in Europe in 2022, is the major driving force behind the record TV deal, although he did acknowledge the impact that the Hollywood superstars have had on the English game.
“I’m just not attributing more to them than is necessary, because by attributing the success to them, you’re diminishing the achievements of other people,” Jordan said on talkSPORT.
“They are part of the process, of course the awareness factor would have gone up five fold, but the Championship wouldn’t have been a secret. It’s also not huge amounts of money, so with the greatest respects to the world.
“The Championship is the reason why the EFL is being rewarded with this deal, not because Ryan Reynolds is running around donning a Deadpool mask at Wrexham.”
Wrexham deserve more credit from Jordan
During their title-winning campaign last term, ESPN revealed that match viewing figures increased by 858% as a direct result of showcasing the Reds.
This was followed up by the news that Wrexham were the 88th most-watched team in the US and finished above several MLS clubs in that ranking.
To not attribute Wrexham with credit for helping secure a record TV deal is foolish from Jordan, although he is right about the Championship.
With the profile of clubs who came down from the Premier League, including Leicester City and Leeds United, it is clear to see why an agreement was struck with Relevent Sports, which will see EFL games promoted in America.
Ultimately, the Championship’s profile as an exciting league to watch and Wrexham’s rise have equally contributed to landing this deal.