CELEBRITIES
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney agree to rename Wrexham’s Racecourse Ground
The Wrexham AFC co-owners have a new sponsor.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have signed a deal for sponsorship through a cold brew coffee company, SToK Cold Brew Coffee, and in doing so have agreed to change the name of The Racecourse Ground where the team plays.
The stadium grounds will be rebranded as the SToK Racecourse — SToK Cae Ras in Welsh — as of July 1.
The Racecourse Ground history
The Racecourse Ground has been hosting soccer games since March 5, 1877, when Wales played their first home game against Scotland over 150 years ago.
Never has there been a sponsor deal involving the historic stadium.
Wrexham makes statement
“We wanted a stadium sponsor that captured the vitality and energy of Wrexham while also, like Welsh, being a bit of a learning experience to say. SToK Cold Brew Coffee fit the bill perfectly,” the pair of actors said in a statement.
“We’re incredibly excited and a little overcaffeinated.”
Reynolds and McElhenney also posted a video on social media, which shows the actors conspiring to swap out the team’s afternoon tea with SToK Cold Brew Coffee — and wait to see if they would notice.
Meanwhile, Wrexham executive director Humphrey Ker said they are “delighted to welcome SToK to the Wrexham family.”
“Having secured the support of the club advisory board and understanding that the majority of fans were happy for the stadium to be sponsored, we were delighted to partner with one of the fastest growing cold brew coffee brands in the US, as their ambitions and upward trajectory matches our own,” she added.
Not available in the UK
The Wrexham team updated their website to promote SToK Cold Brew Coffee as one of the largest and fastest-growing brands in the US — also noting that the product is not available in the UK.
Brittney Polka, vice president of Ready-to-Drink Beverages at Danone North America, addressed concerns about the company not selling the coffee in the UK.
“Some may wonder why a US-based cold brew brand would sponsor a tea-drinking Welsh football team,” Polka said in a statement. “The answer: SToK is all about bold moves.”
“We were captivated by the story of Wrexham — the team, the fans, and the community — and we’re honored to be welcomed into the Wrexham family,”
“We’ll be cheering on the Red Dragons and raising our cold brews from afar.”