Inside Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s Gamble | Wrexham Director Shaun Harvey

Wrexham’s rise has been framed as a Hollywood story. The reality is rather more structured.

In this episode, Wrexham director Shaun Harvey breaks down what’s actually driven the transformation, from the earliest conversations during lockdown, through to building a club now pushing towards the Premier League.

At the centre of it is the ownership model. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney didn’t just bring capital, they brought attention, storytelling and global reach. But critically, the football operation was never compromised. The club comes first. The documentary follows.

What emerges is a clear set of principles:

* Stay authentic

* Avoid gimmicks

* Trust football expertise

* Build for the community first

The result is a model that blends performance, narrative and commercial growth, without losing credibility.

This is not just a football story. It’s a case study in how modern sports organisations can scale: by combining elite performance with disciplined storytelling and long-term thinking.

00:00 Introduction

00:03 Ryan Reynolds and Rob as Wrexham co-chairmen

00:29 How the Wrexham takeover began

05:18 Why Wrexham meant so much to the community

08:33 The Supporters Trust meeting that decided everything

11:25 The original plan for Wrexham

13:04 Why Ryan and Rob did it differently

15:10 Football first, documentary second

21:03 The breakthrough that changed everything

25:59 Why Ryan and Rob don’t interfere

37:43 Community, ownership and the Premier League dream

________________________________

The Performance People podcast, in partnership with J.P. Morgan Private Bank, talks to high-performers in the world of sport and beyond, to bring defining moments, hard-earned insights and expert advice to everyday performance. New episodes every Tuesday.

________________________________

ainslie + ainslie NIGHT POWDER, winner of Best Sleep Supplement in the GQ Sleep Awards 2025.

We love performance, which is why we’ve launched ainslie + ainslie – the first supplement brand to be developed inside elite sport. Now available for everyone. Find out more at www.ainslieainslie.com

________________________________

Connect with Performance People

Hit subscribe today for the latest.

🎧 Spotify/Apple Music

http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/

https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/

________________________________

The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.

This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.

© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Connect with Performance People

Hit subscribe today for the latest.

🎧 Spotify/Apple Music

http://www.performancepeoplepodcast.com/

https://www.instagram.com/performance.people/

________________________________

The views and opinions expressed on Performance People are those of the guests and hosts, and do not necessarily represent the views of ainslie + ainslie, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, or any affiliated organisations.

This podcast is produced by Gameface Limited and is intended for general information and entertainment purposes only.

© Gameface Limited 2026. All rights reserved.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.