'I went to a Wrexham bar in New York and Ryan Reynolds has changed the game'

21 October 2023 , 14:04

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'I went to a Wrexham bar in New York and Ryan Reynolds has changed the game'

Three years ago, if you were abroad and asked a sports bar if they're showing the Wrexham game it's likely that no one would have even heard of the team, let alone shown their games live.

But the last 36 months of Wrexham's recent history have been unprecedented, and now the team from North Wales have millions of fans around the world. The arrival of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has put the club on the map, and their award-winning docu-series "Welcome to Wrexham" has made them as popular as some elite Premier League teams.

Not only are they now globally relevant, overseas fans have started to genuinely take an interest as if it's their local team. Now, less than three years after Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the club, there is a dedicated Wrexham Supporters Bar near Times Square, New York.

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Wrexham fans gather in New York to watch the team at 10 am local time (Daily Mirror)

Printers Alley is now the hotspot to watch all Wrexham games in New York, with the bar opening early on matchdays to show the action. Their normal opening hours are 11am - 4am everyday, but they open before 10am on Saturdays to offer breakfast, beers, and football for Wrexham fans.

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I was invited down to check it out for myself, and assembled a group of Brits abroad - including a Wrexham fan - to dive into the culture change and experience watching the team at 10am local time. Printers Alley had flags out especially for Wrexham, and a huge screen that streamed the game via iFollow.

Flags and apparel scattered all around the bar (Daily Mirror)

Unfortunately I didn't see a Wrexham win, I actually saw their biggest defeat of the season so far as they lost 5-0 against Stockport County. The mood may have been dampened momentarily, but Wrexham have remained unbeaten since after a minor blip in their season.

As someone that now lives in New York, football - or soccer as they like to call it here - is very different, with 'lunchtime' kick offs getting underway at 7:30am. The standard 3pm games are also enjoyed over brunch due to the time difference (five hours behind), and unless it's a Champions League game, drinking in a bar while watching the football is now a very rare occasion, or so I thought.

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A very different experience for some Premier League regulars (Daily Mirror)

Once I got over the initial guilt of having a beer at 10am, or an espresso martini in this scenario, it really felt like I was back in an English bar watching the game with fans. The only difference here is that it's midday once the game finishes, and then the venue turns into a college football bar.

There are some huge fan bases that the Printers Alley get behind, as they're now proudly supporting Wrexham, college team Tennessee, and NFL franchise the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have a dedicated game day menu, and a dangerous happy hour that runs from 11-7 meaning you can enjoy the experience at a very fair price.

Chicken, waffles, and syrup for the football, why not? (Daily Mirror)

That experience is of course 'Americanised', as rather than a pre-match ritual of a pie and a pint, diners can enjoy chicken and waffles, an omelette and home fries, or even a brunch burger. 'Wrexham fever' has certainly spread across the globe, and for any fans travelling in New York and wanting to still support the team, Printers is the place to go.

I was initially surprised by the popularity of Wrexham in New York, even after the release of the hit series and multiple marketing stunts by Reynolds and McElhenney. However, when looking at their growth it's more than justified, and Printers have made sure to accommodate those looking for a place to gather.

Since Reynolds and McElhenney bought Wrexham in 2020 their growth across all social media has increased 921.23 percent, with their Twitter /X page on 550,000 followers when it was 10 percent of that figure before the takeover. Millions have watched Welcome to Wrexham around the world, and this is just the beginning as more fans choose to invest time into the team and their journey.

Joseph McBride