Ahead of Wrexham AFC’s summer tour to the USA at the end of July, United Airlines recently debuted their new, limited-edition Wrexham AFC amenity kits and pajamas. These limited-edition items are part of the airline’s broader Wrexham AFC sponsorship, and celebrate the football team’s recent promotion to League One and continued surge in global popularity with the Emmy® award-winning show “FX’s Welcome to Wrexham”
Wrexham AFC is the third-oldest professional association football team in the world, founded in 1864, and has been struggling in recent decades due to lack of funding and mismanagement. United’s sponsorship of the team is an undeniably smart move, with the explosion in popularity of all things Wrexham and Wrexham AFC meaning United’s brand is now front-and-centre not only during every Wrexham football match, but also every documentary episode.
While Wrexham was previously known as an inconspicuous working-class Welsh town, past-it’s-best since the closure of the mines in the early 70s, it’s been the centre of international attention since Hollywood celebrities, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, took over the football club in 2020. The success of the documentary show has seen the city boom in popularity, with even Prince William himself pulling a pint in the football club’s local, The Turf, and Hollywood celebrities frequently being seen at home games.
Wrexham locals have even spoken of their newfound popularity in the States, with local Rhys Owen saying, “I was in New York recently and wore my Wrexham shirt to a sports bar. It was full of Americans celebrating their team winning a soccer game, and when they saw my Wrexham shirt they got really excited and insisted on buying us drinks all night! It was unbelievable!” And it’s not just in America where new fans are celebrating the club’s success, more Americans are now making the transatlantic journey and actually visiting Wrexham, with Rhys telling us, “They’re always in the town centre and in The Turf. We never used to see Americans in Wrexham, but they’re here all the time now. You can’t walk down the street or go to a game without hearing the accent.”
The numbers don’t lie either. While the documentary show has provided an estimated £1Billion in marketing value, the annual STEAM data from Global Tourism Solutions – a national agency which records data for most Local Authority areas across the UK – showed that in 2022, Wrexham benefitted from just over £151m of visitor spend, up by 51% from 2021 data. The report also showed that day visitor numbers increased year-on-year by 33%, with 1.9m day visitors and a further 430,000 staying for more than one night, up 98% from 2021.
And now, for the first time, travelers flying in United’s premium cabins on long-haul international routes will receive the complimentary Wrexham AFC-inspired amenity kits filled with travel essentials like an eye mask, toothbrush and toothpaste as well as exclusive Therabody skincare products. United Polaris® customers on flights 14 hours or longer will also receive pajamas designed to resemble the team’s uniforms, including a long-sleeve Wrexham red shirt and gray pants. Sadly, no flights between the UK and US are 14 hours or longer, so won’t be able to receive the pajamas unless they fly elsewhere, but the amenity kits will be a welcome addition to the travel experience when flying between the two countries.
United collaborated with Wrexham AFC to design the amenity kits and pajamas, drawing inspiration from the team crest, jerseys and overall look and feel. The offerings include:
- United x Wrexham AFC Amenity Case: For United Polaris business class travelers, the reusable toiletry case features the Wrexham crest and is available in red, black or white. The case includes a top handle, wrap-around zipper and loop to hang the bag on a hook for convenience.
- United x Wrexham AFC Amenity Pouch: For United Premium Plus® travelers, the reusable zippered pouch also features the Wrexham crest and is available in red, black or white. The slim pouch fits easily into a carry-on bag.
- United x Wrexham AFC Pajamas: Available to United Polaris business class travelers on flights 14 hours or more, the lightweight pajama set includes a red, long-sleeve shirt with the Wrexham AFC and United logos on the front, designed to resemble the team jersey, plus gray pants with the United logo on the hip.
Inside every amenity kit, passengers will find a United-exclusive Therabody hand cream, lip balm and cleansing towelette plus travel essentials including a bamboo toothbrush, toothpaste, eye mask, ear plugs and socks. In addition, inside every United Polaris kit, passengers will also find a Therabody eye serum, face spray, tissues and a United pen.
“With our amenity kits, we always aim to provide customers with products that make their travel journey more comfortable as well as create one-of-a-kind keepsakes for them to enjoy well beyond their flight,” said Peter Wolkowski, Director of Onboard Product Design at United. “Wrexham’s story is one that has been documented and celebrated these last few years, so we’re thrilled to now give United customers team-branded gear they won’t be able to find anywhere else.”
United is also giving fans more access to Wrexham AFC during the club’s 2024-2025 season – its second year partnering with the team. As the front-of-jersey sponsor for the men’s and women’s teams, the United name and logo emblazons the front of the Wrexham AFC shirts during games. The airline will also sponsor the club’s North American summer tour including flying the teams to games and providing MileagePlus members exclusive offerings.
United Airlines’ introduction of Wrexham AFC amenity kits and pajamas in celebration of the football club’s promotion and rising global fame, highlights a unique fusion of sports and travel, and is ideal timing to tap into the increasing number of Americans travelling to the UK to visit Wrexham. This strategic move not only reinforces United’s sponsorship of Wrexham AFC but also capitalizes on the club’s newfound popularity spurred by the success of “FX’s Welcome to Wrexham”. So what are you waiting for? Book that United flight, get a ticket for a game, and visit Wrexham for a unique travel experience.
Catherine Lux is a food and travel contributor at AGLAIA, and a luxury lifestyle blogger documenting her life on her blog, Lux Life London. With Lux Life London having a large focus on travel and food, she loves nothing more than long-haul flights, excellent restaurants, and relaxing with friends in the coolest places in town.
