Celebrities owning race teams are expanding racing’s entertainment value
The lines between sport and entertainment are becoming increasingly blurred. It’s clear that, for sports to continue to thrive in the future, they need to leverage the entertainment industry to attract more fans.
There have been some great motorsport documentaries and films recently that have helped with this, and now celebrities are investing more heavily in racing. With this move, there’s likely to be a lot more entertainment content designed to push Formula One to new viewers who may not have engaged with it before.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Invested in Alpine F1 Team
Reynolds and McElhenney are best known for taking Wrexham football club from the National League into the Championship over the last five years. This incredible feat was helped by their star power, and they used their fame to generate various new revenue streams for the club.
After that success, the two actors decided to move into the realm of motorsport, and became part of an investment group that bought a 24 percent stake in the Alpine F1 team in 2023. As the two have shown with Wrexham, getting into sport isn’t just about winning. They also want to turn their sporting investments into entertainment franchises, which exist across other media. The Welcome to Wrexham documentary was a prime example of this in action, and there are rumors that Reynolds and McElhenney could opt for the same approach to boost the profile of their new F1 team.
Reynolds and McElhenney aren’t the only famous faces helping to market motorsport to a new generation. There are plenty of others who are involved in the sport in different ways. Patrick Dempsey is one of the other most heavily involved actors. He raced in Le Mans himself and finished second in his class in 2015, and co-founded Dempsey Racing. Will Smith has also been heavily involved with motorsport, mainly as an F1 ambassador but also as a content collaborator.
The Franchise Concept Enters Motorsport
The emergence of huge celebrity names in motorsport could be an excellent way to attract new fans to the sport who weren’t previously interested. It’s an example of the franchise model, which has worked so well in the entertainment industry. For example, branded games often encourage people to watch films or series. Bingo sites in the UK have titles like Britain’s Got Talent and The Walking Dead, which help draw more attention to the television shows. They also play on familiarity and attract players who enjoy those offerings.
Reynolds and McElhenney’s recent partnership has become a brand in itself. A lot of people discovered the Hollywood duo after their takeover of Wrexham and have followed their story since then. Their endeavors in F1 could be seen as an extension of that franchise and may appeal to people who have followed their journey in the last few years.
Reynolds and McElhenney have already inspired other Hollywood stars to invest in football clubs, and they could have the same influence in motorsport. With these celebrity purchases, there will be a push to market racing in new ways, through a variety of entertainment channels.