Burnley co-owners JJ and Kealia Watt – both ex-professional athletes – will play for the Clarets' Men's and Women's teams in TST 2024.
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JJ & Kealia Watt to play in TST 2024Both set to captain Clarets' teams$1M cash prize on the lineWHAT HAPPENED?
Joining the likes of Wrexham, the Clarets will field a team in the 2024 edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST) in both the Men's and Women's divisions.
JJ, an ex-NFL superstar, and Kealia, a former NWSL standout, will captain the Clarets in their respective fields. The former Houston Texan will battle against a recently unretired Sergio Aguero, while the ex-Houston Dash star will take on USWNT legends such as Ali Krieger en-route for the $1 million prize.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT JJ WATT AND BURNLEY SAID
"It's going to be a proud moment for me, captaining the Burnley men's team," Watt said in a statement. "The club and town have an important place in my heart, so I want to represent Burnley well. Now it's all about preparing so we're ready to go."
Burnley president Stuart Hunt: "We couldn't be more excited to get involved in TST and have JJ and Kealia headline our men's and women's teams. We saw the success of last year's tournament and knew instantly that we wanted to be a part of this year's event. JJ and Kealia are the perfect individuals to captain the Club at TST. It will be exciting to see them back in a competitive atmosphere again."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The Watt family joined the ownership group of the Clarets in 2023 and had a rollercoaster of a first year with the Premier League side. From VAR rants on social media to traveling to England to pour pints at local pubs for supporters, the NFL legend has taken life as a co-owner seriously with the Clarets.
Now, alongside his wife, the duo will captain the club at this summer's marquee 7v7 event in Cary, North Carolina on June 5-10.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR THE WATTS AND BURNLEY?
The Clarets will take on Brighton on Saturday, April 13 as they look to fight off relegation in Premier League action. A victory over the Seagulls could bring them within three points of safety as the race to stay in the top division heats up.