'BBC are force feeding us Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham's PR - others need it more'

01 August 2023 , 12:31

872 0

The Wrexham owners have gobbled up all the lower league headlines (Image: Getty)

They managed to keep a lid on it, but I'm afraid the secret seems to finally be out: Wrexham have Hollywood owners.

Yes, Wrexham. You may have read about it. They're on a journey and it seems we're all going on it with them, whether we like it or not. This bonkers and brilliant story was born when two tinsel town stars decided to buy a Non-League club on its knees. PR stunt, most screamed. It has turned into a genuine love story.

Since then, the overload on all things Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and their team hasn't relented. If you're on social media, chances are you'll have been force-fed every movement. Most have now had their fill. Truth is of course, the green-eyed monster is showing its teeth a little here. We all want this to be us. My team won one of its last 19 games last season. Year before, none of the final 25. Sign me up for a little stardust.

But it has opened up a much wider issue.

'BBC are force feeding us Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham's PR - others need it more' qhiquqidqziqhinv

Everywhere you look it's Wrexham, and that's not gone down well with other fans (Getty Images)

It's hardly a game-changing development to say that online media outlets need eye-balls to survive. For many, clicks are of course now king.

Ryan Reynolds mispronounces name of new Wrexham signing in hilarious video

But it should never guide news judgment. So when the supposedly neutral BBC are pumping out and promoting inconsequential daily Wrexham updates, we've got an issue.

Over the top? Let's study the past six days. Last week, they told us in depth about the Dragons' US tour. Then they told us about Paul Mullin's rib injury. Then about his manager's reaction to it. Then, the talented striker's response. Last night, we found out where he was going to get himself better. We'll know his dog's diet by tomorrow night.

This after the daily bulletins from the players' end of season bash in Vegas and the almost comical 'breaking news' announcement that the admittedly brilliant Mullin had signed a new contract. Premier League level coverage for the National League champions, and that isn't over-selling it.

'BBC are force feeding us Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham's PR - others need it more'

Paul Mullin is the latest talking point and he's due to miss the first few matches of the season

During the Gary Lineker circus earlier this year, we were reminded in no uncertain terms what the proud corporation stands for. The non-profit making, publicly-funded organisation that happily takes £13 from each of us every month for the pleasure of its content are independent, impartial and truthful. They're governed not by the number of people seeing its stories, but agenda setting news.

But when it comes to Wrexham, something has changed. The beeb's vow to represent and serve communities doesn't seem to extend to any other club in the EFL, as fans are quick to point out every time they send another Wrexham revelation our way.

The argument of why wouldn't they run stories that people are reading just doesn't wash. Just like it wouldn't if Manchester United were first up on Match of the Day every week regardless of performance, just because they have more fans than everyone else by some distance.

Of course, this isn't the fault of Wrexham, the owners or their incredible fans, many of whom are tiring at the nonsense updates they're seeing fly around every few hours.

The club don't employ a PR firm. They don't sneak out tasty tit-bits for the masses to feed on, and there's not even a set up pap photo shoot in sight. They're trying to get on with things, they've got another league to win. They could probably do without it.

I've seen first hand Reynolds spend half an hour with fans with cancer, and even longer posing for photos with hundreds of kids before games. I've seen a club on death's door brought back to life. What they've done and how they've done it gives everyone, however bad your team is, that bit of hope.

No set of fans deserve this more, but other fans exist too. Their clubs, still fighting for survival after Covid, actually need the exposure and would treasure a bit of this treatment.