JJ Watt gets first-hand look at Burnley with local pub crawl

New Burnley investor and future NFL Hall of Fame member JJ Watt got up close with the town of Burnley. To commemorate his investment in the club, and to celebrate with fans before the last matchday in the Championship, Watt went around to different bars and pubs in the town of Burnley.

The inspiration for the venture was simply to meet Burnley fans. That is part of the important and necessary research for the club, says Watt.

“It’s research, I’m doing research and lots of pints of Guinness along the way,” Watt told BBC Breakfast on Tuesday. “But it was a lot of fun and really good to get to know them on a personal level, and hopefully they get to know us as well.”

That fan involvement is something Watt mentioned when he and his wife revealed they bought a minority stake in the club. Part of that is simply getting more fans. Watt already appeared on a number of talk shows and popular programs to discuss his minority stake in Burnley.

The rest of it, though, is ensuring that this global audience knows that Burnley is built on those supporters near Turf Moor. Trips to the Royal Dyche and the Vintage Claret will certainly provide a better look at the club’s heritage.

“The history, the tradition, the supporters. It’s all about respecting and honoring that,” Watt said. “You never want to try and come in and do something that isn’t true to the club’s image.”

Watt pairing excited for Burnley to get back into Premier League

Watt may not have the soccer expertise of his wife. Kealia is a professional soccer player who most recently played for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. Previously, JJ Watt said soccer is on the rise in the United States. However, it would struggle to match the popularity of the NFL.

Watt is a future NFL Hall of Fame member after a hugely successful playing career with the Houston Texans and the Arizona Cardinals. He retired from play following the 2022/23 season.

PHOTO: IMAGO / News Images