Phillie Phanatic Makes Iconic Appearance at Wrexham AFC
Does it get any more Philly than the Phillie Phanatic helping prepare the battle space against the New York Mets for the London Series by visiting Wrexham AFC, the soccer club co-owner by It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney?
We would say probably not.
But that was the scene this past Thursday.
The MLB has been really pushing the sport in the United Kingdom over the last few seasons, even naming former Philadelphia Phillies legend Chase Utley to lead the charge in the country to be an ambassador to the game.
Now it's the Phillies and Mets turn to play in London this June. Of course it's not just enough to play a series, instead, the most iconic mascot in sports and... whatever the Mets mascot is, are helping prepare the battle space by trying to win the hearts of minds of those in the UK.
For Philadelphia fans, it gets even better.
McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought Wrexham AFC, a club in League Two of the English Football league, has become one of America's biggest clubs. Partly because of the underdog story that is currently be being played out by the club but also it's owned by two of the most beloved Hollywood actors.
And the smash hit Welcome to Wrexham documentary helps too.
Now if anyone is familiar with the geography of the UK, Wrexham, in Wales, isn't exactly close to London, the city where the Phillies and Mets series will take place (and where my beloved Chelsea play).
So, what gives?
It's a brilliant move on the MLB's behalf to help grow the game across the UK by utilizing the Hollywood power of Wrexham AFC and the iconic mascots to pique and ultimately garner interest in the sport of baseball.
By nearly every metric, it's working.