Welsh football: Red Dragons Den – US sales pitch for Welsh clubs

Welsh football bosses are heading to the United States of America in a Dragons Den-style bid to attract investors to Wales’ top flight.

And there is belief Cymru Premier clubs could benefit from the ‘Wrexham effect’ as they look to make the most of the trend of US ownership in British football.

Football Association of Wales (FAW) officials are attending a global football business conference in Miami this week with the aim of promoting interest in its domestic clubs.

The plan is to use the Soccerex event to showcase ongoing plans to grow the Cymru Premier, including a recent £6m cash injection from the governing body.

But officials will also be attempting to highlight the possibilities of outside investment directly into clubs.

The English Premier League and the EFL have both seen an increase in US ownership stakes in recent years, with the majority shareholding of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at Championship Wrexham arguably the most high profile of the lot.

Officials think Wales’ clubs outside of the English system could also be an attractive proposition, especially with the possibility of qualification for European football at a fraction of the cost.

The plan is then to alert clubs to any potential interest – and possibly paving the way for overseas investment.