JJ Watt says Burnley investment came after talking Wrexham with Ryan Reynolds

If you’re buying into a UK soccer club, might as well call an expert

It sounds like the audience for “Welcome to Wrexham” includes J.J. and Kealia Watt.

Speaking just two days after the couple announced their investment in Championship-winning Burnley, J.J. Watt said that their considerations over whether to buy into English soccer included a chat with the most famous club owner in North America, Ryan Reynolds.

“I did talk to Ryan. I wanted to get his perspective, find out what his experience has been,” Watt said on Wednesday during an appearance on the ESPN show Get Up. “When you look at the parade they’ve just had, the turnout, and the ability to take eyeballs from around the globe and put them on Wrexham.”

Reynolds and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actor Rob McElhenney certainly have some expertise to bring to the table for new club owners. Wrexham recently clinched the National League championship, and promotion to League Two, while drawing unprecedented attention in the U.S. for a non-Premier League team.

“I have been a football fan for a long time,” said Watt on where his interest in Burnley began, before noting that being married to an eight-year NWSL veteran with three U.S. women’s national team caps is also a big factor. “Obviously, my wife is a professional soccer player, and I really wanted to get into ownership.”

Burnley ‘slightly different’ from Wrexham

Watt may be new to soccer ownership, but he seems to know full well that Wrexham and Burnley are not in the same situation. Reynolds and McElhenney purchased Wrexham outright in 2021, while the Watts are minority investors with Burnley. ALK Capital, a U.S.-based investment firm, owns the bulk of shares in the Clarets.

Burnley is also three tiers higher than Wrexham, and spent just one season in the Championship after six straight Premier League campaigns.

“Obviously, it’s a slightly different situation from a club perspective, but you want to hear from someone doing it right,” acknowledged Watt before pivoting to a possible similarity between the clubs.

“That’s what Kealia and I want to do, take eyeballs from all around the world and put them on Burnley because we think that town, that story, it’s been around since 1882,” said Watt. “We want people to get to know about Burnley, and there are so many Americans that are getting into the Premier League right now and not knowing which club to support. We want them to support Burnley.”

[lawrence-related id=18659,2676,18040]