da dobrowin： Ex-USMNT star Alexi Lalas has explained why, contrary to popular belief, Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney aren’t helping US soccer.
da doce： Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Hollywood stars enjoying success in WalesAlso bought into a Mexican sporting projectQuestions asked of why no MLS investmentGetty/GOALWHAT HAPPENED?
Two Hollywood stars have opened up a window to the world in North Wales, with interest in all things Wrexham building steadily in the States on the back of an award-winning documentary series. Reynolds and McElhenney have now branched out to acquire a stake in Mexican side Necaxa – alongside the likes of Eva Longoria, Odell Beckham Jr and Kate Upton.
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They have helped to generate interest in soccer among an American audience, but Lalas has told his podcast why they are not benefiting MLS and the domestic game: “Not only are they not doing wonderful things for American soccer, but this goes absolutely against American soccer. This is putting your money and your time and your focus in everything but American soccer. That’s okay. I’m not angry at them, I’m just pointing this out. But it should also bring up the question – and this is a fair question – as to why are they doing that? Why do they see that it’s more attractive, from a business perspective, to put money into English soccer and now into Mexican soccer, as opposed to all of the available American soccer? There could be a bunch of different reasons, and a bunch of fair and legitimate reasons out there, but this investment and this focus, it might help them from a business perspective and it might be very successful, but it does nothing for American soccer. This isn’t me forcing them to be involved in American soccer, in a matter of fact it’s the opposite. I’m saying ‘American soccer, you have to make it attractive, you have to show – whether it is these two or any other investors out there – why you are where your money should be put and you should be invested in’. In this case, that’s not happened for any number of reasons. There are some that see gold in them there American hills when it comes to American soccer and what they are doing, but as to the progress and the evolution and the betterment of American soccer, they are not doing anything for that.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Lalas added on why Reynolds and McElhenney may have decided to get involved with Necaxa, with another documentary on the cards: “It remains to be seen what is going to happen, but I think along the lines of a Welcome to Wrexham type television show – who knows, maybe there is one for Necaxa, Spanish language, it moves on. That’s great for them. I believe in competition, I believe in a situation like this where two smart young men are investing wisely. I would never presume to tell them what to do with their money or how to invest, especially when it seems it is going great.”
WHAT NEXT?
Reynolds and McElhenney have overseen back-to-back promotions at Wrexham, taking the club out of the National League and into League One. They continue to invest heavily in that project, but will not be particularly hands-on at Necaxa after acquiring a small five per cent holding there.