Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are in favour of match streaming in the National League - Credit: Wrexham AFC
Wrexham's FA Cup First Round tie with Oldham Athletic has been selected for broadcast, with some non-league fans left furious by the move.
The Red Dragons edged past National League North outfit Blyth Spartans in the Fourth Qualifying Round, needing an eventual replay at the Racecourse Ground to secure their passage.
First-half goals from Ollie Palmer, Paul Mullin and Jordan Davies saw the hosts race to a first-half lead, before a spirited Blyth comeback reduced the score to 3-2 in the second period.
Phil Parkinson's side did manage to get across the line safely, progressing into the First Round for the second consecutive season.
Heading into the mid-week fixture, there had been hopes of a potential cross-border derby between Wrexham and Chester, with the Seals also competing in a Fourth Qualifying Round replay.
Chester, who had held EFL League Two drop-outs Oldham Athletic in the Fourth Qualifying Round, were one minute away from a famous extra-time victory.
Read: TV picks for FA Cup First Round confirmed
With one minute left of extra time to play, Chester led their National League opponents 2-1, with Mike Fondop's 119th-minute equaliser silencing the Deva Stadium.
Penalty shootout defeat only served to worsen Chester's woes, as Oldham progressed into the First Round instead.
It set up a First Round tie between two fifth-tier giants, with EFL hopefuls Wrexham hosting former Premier League outfit Oldham.
While it may not offer the most variety from the First Round draw, the clash has been moved and selected for broadcast on ITV.
Since being taken over by Hollywood duo Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, Wrexham have gained worldwide notoriety via increased exposure.
A well-received documentary covering Wrexham's seasons enhanced the club's profile, with their recent FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying tie against Blyth selected for TV coverage in the United States.
Unprecedented at this level, ESPN selected the fixture for coverage in the States, amidst an ongoing debate surrounding streaming matches to foreign audiences.
Wrexham will once again be covered on TV in the First Round, this time with domestic audiences given the chance to watch the Red Dragons instead.
The decision has sparked fury amongst some non-league circles, as it's believed there were more worthy recipients of the £50,000 broadcast fee.
Taking to Twitter to vent their frustrations, non-league fans expressed disappointment at the decision.
@WillB_2003 : Nice to see the glamour tie of Wrexham vs Oldham being covered!!!
@ianmckee58: Unfortunately this is how the tv companies see it. Disgraceful really. Who wants to watch Wrexham Oldham?
@waccautm: ‘The magic of the fa cup?’ Puts 2 teams in the same league on TV.
@NickJake1: Wrexham v Oldham a national league tie gets chosen? These Hollywood lot have the TV producers on strings
@KRennicks40: You should’ve known this would’ve been all about Wrexham… have you forgotten they’ve got Hollywood millionaire owners of course they need the £50,000!! It’s a disgrace in all honesty. Pathetic decision.
While fans may have been left angered by the choice, it wasn't just supporters frustrated, with Coalville Town also voicing their opinion following the decision.
Coalville, who progressed past Notts County in Fourth Round Qualifying, were drawn away to League One Charlton Athletic in the First Round.
Commenting on the issue via Twitter, the official Coalville account lambasted the decision to snub their First Round tie:
"Confirmation that we haven’t been selected for television coverage. Wrexham needed the £50k more than us anyway," the Tweet read.
A decision is yet to be made on which matches from the First Round will be covered across the BBC's Final Score programme.
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