Wrexham can win promotion to the Championship on Saturday, but have been warned that they could miss out on up to £12 million ($16m) if they slip up.
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Wrexham in second in League OneSit two points ahead of Wycombe in thirdRed Dragons can go up on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Wrexham are fighting for automatic promotion to the Championship and currently sit second in League One, with two games of their season remaining. They are two points ahead of Wycombe Wanderers in third, and can win promotion on Saturday as the Chairboys lost 1-0 at Leyton Orient in a lunchtime kick-off.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Victory on Saturday against Charlton Athletic in the evening kick-off will see Wrexham promoted to the second tier, as their five-point gap to third place would become insurmountable with one round of fixtures remaining. A finance expert has now revealed exactly how damaging somehow missing out on promotion now could be for Wrexham, as they could miss out on a massive windfall from commercial revenue.
WHAT ROB WILSON SAID
Football finance expert and Director of Executive Education at University Campus of Football Business, Rob Wilson, told OLBG: "Missing out could cost £10-12 million in immediate revenue. This is primarily from lost EFL media distributions (solidarity payments which are much higher in the Championship), reduced expected match day uplift, and diminished commercial leverage. The Championship is a financially compelling tier, and delay slows momentum.”
The impact of promotion, though, would be significant, as Wilson explains: “Championship status would place Wrexham in a £100m+ broadcast ecosystem, elevate match day and sponsorship revenues, and further globalise their brand, particularly in North America, where the underdog-to-elite story line resonates powerfully.
“We should also remember that English football, while having a base in the US, is still finding its feet, and this would further drive engagement. It also enables Wrexham to dictate, to some extent, their own future. While they will rightly still leverage their owners Hollywood status, it does give the club more pedigree to earn its own revenues.”
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
Should the promotion race go down to the final day, Wrexham will head to Lincoln City needing a result, while Wycombe play host to Stockport County.