WREXHAM, Wales, USA – STōK Cold Brew Coffee, one of the largest and fastest growing cold brew coffee brands in the U.S., has been announced as the official sponsor of the Wrexham Association Football Club’s Racecourse Ground. This is the first time the world’s oldest international football stadium will have a sponsor; the sponsorship is effective beginning July 1, 2023.
STōK is committed to celebrating and honoring the history of the team and beloved stadium by keeping the historic “Cae Ras” or “Racecourse” as part of the official stadium name: STōK Cae Ras | STōK Racecourse.
The Club, led by Co-Chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, announced the news with a video featuring the Co-Chairmen and the Wrexham AFC Men’s team. In the video, McElhenney and Reynolds decide to secretly replace the team’s traditional afternoon tea with bold and smooth STōK Cold Brew Coffee to see if they will notice–you can see the team’s reaction here.
Club Co-Chairmen Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds remarked,” We wanted a stadium sponsor that captured the vitality and energy of Wrexham Association Football Club while also, like Welsh, being a bit of a learning experience to say. STōK Cold Brew Coffee fit the bill perfectly. We’re incredibly excited and a little over-caffeinated.”
The principle of attaching a stadium sponsor name to the Cae Ras / Racecourse was discussed with, and backed by, the Club Advisory Board which is made up of supporter representatives. While STōK doesn’t sell cold brew in the UK, STōK is as invested in Wrexham’s success as it is in cold brew coffee. At their core, Wrexham and STōK are truly kindred spirits—both local favorites that are growing rapidly in popularity and gaining global audiences.
“Some may wonder why a U.S.-based cold brew brand would sponsor a tea-drinking Welsh football team. The answer: STōK is all about bold moves,” said Brittney Polka, Vice President of Ready-to-Drink Beverages at Danone North America. “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.”
Humphrey Ker, Executive Director of Wrexham AFC said, “We are delighted to welcome STōK 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 U.S., as their ambitions and upward trajectory matches our own.”
STōK and Wrexham have plans “brewing” to extend the partnership beyond the Cae Ras / Racecourse Ground. In the States, STōK will be sponsor of the highly anticipated Wrexham AFC American tour—the first time in the Club’s history that the first team squad will travel to the United States. Follow @Wrexham_AFC, @SToKColdBrew and visit www.wrexhamafc.co.uk for more updates. Be sure to use the STōK store locator to find a bottle near you.
