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I visited an official Wrexham supporters pub in New York City to witness how far the team has come and to see how fans around the world treat the Welsh club as if it were their own.
Three years ago, if you went to a sports bar in another country and asked whether they were broadcasting the Wrexham game, no one would have heard of the team, let alone shown their games live.
However, the previous 36 months in Wrexham’s history have been unprecedented, and the team from North Wales now has millions of followers all over the world. The arrival of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has helped to put the club on the map, and their award-winning docu-series “Welcome to Wrexham” has helped to make them as popular as some elite Premier League teams.
Not only are they now worldwide relevant, but abroad fans have begun to take an interest as if it were their home team. There is now a dedicated Wrexham Supporters Bar in Times Square in New York, less than three years after Reynolds and McElhenney purchased the club.
Printers Alley is now the place to go in New York to watch all Wrexham games, with the pub opening early on matchdays to show the action. Their regular hours are 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily, however they open before 10 a.m. on Saturdays to serve breakfast, beers, and football to Wrexham supporters.
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I was asked down to see it for myself, and assembled a party of British expats – including a Wrexham supporter – to immerse ourselves in the culture shock and watch the team at 10 a.m. local time. Printers Alley had unique flags for Wrexham, as well as a large screen that aired the game via iFollow.
Unfortunately, I did not witness a Wrexham victory; instead, I witnessed their heaviest defeat of the season so far, as they were defeated 5-0 by Stockport County. Although the enthusiasm was temporarily dimmed, Wrexham have stayed unbeaten since a small setback earlier in the season.
As someone who now resides in New York, football – or soccer as it is known here – is extremely different, with 7:30am ‘lunchtime’ kickoffs. Because of the time difference (five hours behind), the regular 3pm games are also enjoyed over breakfast, and unless it’s a Champions League game, drinking in a pub while watching football is now a very rare occasion, or so I thought.
Wrexham, a popular college football team, has gained immense popularity in New York, thanks to its fan base and marketing efforts. The Printers Alley, a college football bar, now hosts a midday game day experience, featuring a dedicated game day menu and a happy hour from 11-7. The Americanized experience offers a variety of food options, including chicken and waffles, omelettes, home fries, and even brunch burgers. The venue has become a popular spot for fans traveling in New York to support the team, despite the popularity of the hit series and marketing stunts by Reynolds and McElhenney. Despite initial surprise at the popularity of Wrexham in New York, the growth of the team is more than justified, and Printers Alley has made sure to accommodate those looking for a place to gather.
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