Tom Brady And Ryan Reynolds' Plan For First Ever EFL Match Outside UK With Birmingham Vs Wrexham In US Turned Down

The English Football League has turned down Tom Brady and Ryan Reynolds' plan for the first EFL game in the United States. They opposed the idea of any league game being played abroad.

By Suyash Sinha

Published on Jun 25, 2024 | 06:59 PM IST | 29.8K

Tom Brady

The EFL has declined a request to hold a League One match for the first time outside of the United Kingdom, as reported by The Sports Mai. The two clubs Birmingham City and Wrexham A.F.C. suggested moving their games across the Atlantic to take advantage of "increased commercial opportunities."

For the unversed, there has never been an EFL match played outside of the UK.

Why Birmingham wanted the Wrexham match outside the UK

Birmingham believed they could capitalize on that, as a Wrexham encounter would attract more supporters than St Andrew's 29,000 capacity. Had they been successful in arranging for the first English or Welsh competitive match to be played outside of the UK, history would have been created.

Birmingham is aiming to expand its brand in the United States after signing a new international TV agreement that has increased earnings in that department by 40%, with more North American personalities venturing into European sports.

Soccer is gaining popularity in the United States, and there has long been discussion and frequently fierce opposition to hosting a Premier League match in the country. However, it appears that Americans will have to wait a bit longer for this to happen.

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Tom Brady and Ryan Reynolds' connection to the EFL League game

Both the clubs have owners from the US; the Welsh Club is managed by Rob McElhenney, an American, and Ryan Reynolds, a Canadian-American actor. After taking over the North Wales-based club in 2021, the Hollywood duo helped them win two promotions and utilized their notoriety to get a documentary about the club supported by Disney.

While NFL legend Tom Brady, who was introduced to Birmingham by Knighthead, with whom he has a close business relationship, is also a minority stakeholder in the club and serves in several capacities, including assisting the sports science department.

It is believed that the relationship between NFL superstar Brady and actor Reynolds was critical to the strategy. As these two are superstars in their industries, any collaboration between them will undoubtedly receive a lot of attention.

Although the EFL appeared unaffected by a friendly game being played in the United States, it opposed the notion of any league game being played abroad. The head of Birmingham City's supporters' trust, Neil Cotterell, gave the plan a mediocre reception.

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