Wrexham owner Rob McElhenny joined Travis and Jason Kelce on their New Heights podcast in the middle of a game on Tuesday – and helped the NFL brothers learn about the other football.
The actor owns the team with Ryan Reynolds, who joined Kelce’s girlfriend Taylor Swift at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 1 to watch NFL star Kelce play for the Chiefs in the close win at the New York Jets.
McElhenney is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fan, but since taking over ownership of Wrexham alongside Reynolds in November 2020, he has been a face for the other football that dominates the rest of the sporting world outside the United States.
And he, along with his wife Kaitlin Olson, joined the brothers on their podcast as Wrexham played out a 2-2 draw against Harrogate Town on Tuesday.
“Wrexham are playing at the moment,” McElhenney tells Travis and Jason. ‘It’s 2-2 at the moment, oh it’s all over. But then again, in football – and I have to call it football so I don’t get stabbed when I go to Europe – global football 2-2 isn’t that bad.
Travis Kelce learned about the different football on his New Heights podcast this week
Wrexham owner Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson joined the New Heights podcast
Taylor Swift’s boyfriend Travis started getting to know the other football outside the US
‘It was an away game, we got a point and that is always good.’
Jason then asked how many games Wrexham have left this season, to which Olson interjected: ‘8,500 games left this season.’
Jason laughed, and then Travis asked about in-season tournaments or, as they are known in Wrexham, cup competitions.
“I’m fucking surprised — we kind of took that from you guys,” Kelce added, referring to the new competition within the NBA this season.
“That’s a fascinating part of the sport,” McElhenny explained. ‘Some people care a lot, other people don’t care at all. You have fanbases that are a little torn.
“I think it’s a win-win situation because if you keep going and winning the tournament, people get excited and if you lose, no one cares.
“And in fact, in the NFC Championship we came to last year, we watched the Wrexham game in the tailgate car park before the game and we drew that game against a team that was three leagues above us.
‘I’ve become so annoying with that, I’ve corrected people on the word ‘soccer’ versus football. People just want to hit me.”
McElhenney co-owns the football team with Ryan Reynolds (right), a friend of Swift’s
Reynolds went to watch Kelce play with Swift in New York against the Jets in October
Travis replied, “I love it, you’re all in on it. This way you know you are doing the right thing. You’re ready, honey.’
Should Travis and Taylor ever make the trip to North Wales, they will be surprised by the humble environment Wrexham has as a team.
Their stadium, the Racecourse, seats 10,771 people.
Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs play at the 77,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium, while Swift has dates in England next summer at Wembley Stadium – the venue for the final of those season tournaments. Wembley seats 90,000 people.
Wrexham’s Racecourse stadium looks different than what Taylor and Travis are used to
Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs play home games at Arrowhead Stadium in the NFL
After Tuesday’s draw, Wrexham are second in the fourth tier of English football, with 37 points from twenty games.
There are still 26 league games to go and the top three teams will be promoted to the third tier next season.
Reynolds and McElhenney have previously had some star names at Wrexham matches, including Hugh Jackman, Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd.
