In order to give their players more incentive as Wrexham approached promotion back to the EFL following a 15-year hiatus, the team’s Hollywood owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, struck a deal.
As promised, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney threw a lavish party in Las Vegas in exchange for their Wrexham players getting promoted back to the EFL.
The Hollywood chairmen of the club threw down the gauntlet to Phil Parkinson’s team: return to the fourth division, something no Red Dragons team had accomplished in fifteen years. Furthermore, the Welsh team’s decisive victory in the National League was essential to securing an automatic promotion to League Two.
Therefore, if the team could win the championship, the club’s co-owners would give their loyal stars an extra incentive—a trip to the US that would cover all costs. In an interview with CBS Sports in the final stretch of the season, goalkeeper Ben Foster disclosed that, should Wrexham make history that season, their renowned owners had hinted at a memorable celebration in Las Vegas.
With a laugh, the former England goalie said, “No, they didn’t! But at the end of the season, they have promised us something very special. At the conclusion of the season, they have assured us of a monster one.
He continued, “If we get promoted, they’re gonna take us away somewhere with a lot of flashing lights,” to which the host responded, ominously suggesting “Vegas!”
Naturally, the Dragons would overcome their opponents Notts County to win the championship, and they would also secure promotion in the process with a 3-1 victory over Boreham Wood. Their incredible 111-point total would result in their first championship victory in about 45 years.
Remaining faithful to their promise, Reynolds and McElhenney would take them to Sin City for a once-in-a-lifetime four-day celebration. Following two air travels from San Francisco to the Nevada desert city, Wrexham’s promotion heroes would truly show off.
They would relish a bucket list-worthy extravaganza in the United States, complete with nightclub visits to see legendary DJ Steve Aoki in between meals at the Bellagio with co-chairman McElhenney and wife Kaitlin. In addition, they would love watching The Chainsmokers perform at XS nightclub and having a pool party at Wet Republic.
Regarding the latter itinerary item, rather than the chart-topping pair, it would be the Wrexham players who would be made to feel like the stars of the evening. The Red Dragons stars would arrive at the nightclub to find a banner with the name of the club greeting them.
Defender Ben Tozer recalled one of his most memorable experiences in life while recounting the amazing knees-up that occurred domestically. He said to talkSPORT, “We arrived on Thursday at suppertime, and they took us to Hakkasan for dinner, which was fantastic. After that, we went to Hakkasan Nightclub, where they gave us the best tables possible—it was really crazy.”
“The next day they took us to Wet Republic Pool Party, which again had the best tables and the best layout for us and everything was free,” Tozer continued. “Almost everything was insane.” “In the evening, we went to Omnia Nightclub, where four of us got to go up on stage with Steve Aoki.”
After this, the heroes of Reynolds and McElhenney would continue their honeymoon when they embarked on a victorious US tour that same summer. They would take on Chelsea and Manchester United on an unforgettable journey across the United States as they worked on their last preparations for the EFL season.
