Celebrity ownership in any sport is a complicated thing - especially when it comes to former athletes. On one side, the competitive juices that come with being elites of any given game can be invaluable. There is usually a real desire to win. On the other, it can come across with an air of complacency, particularly when from athletes who know little about the sport they're investing in.
Such is the case with J.J. Watt's stake in Burnley, and Tom Brady's in Birmingham. Neither are majority owners for their respective clubs, and their genuine involvement in the day-to-day decision making. Instead, this is more about vibes and influence. Both are expert representatives, recognizable faces, and provide a direct connection to fans in the United States.
But with that comes good and bad. What happens when retired athletes invest in football clubs? GOAL looks to address that question by examining two specific examples - Brady and Watt, and the positives and negatives of NFL legends representing EFL clubs.