JJ Watt...

[123EasyasBFC]

Got to admire your desire to protect JJ from any 'negativity' but seriously man, look at the guy, you think he has such a thin skin and needs the protection?

I'd be willing to bet he is tired of telling the Bene and Hot story anyway - he kind of winced on the CBS Sports clip when he realized that he'd left it open for Kate Abdo to ask about it.

He'll be moving on to other content and conversations I am sure.

It’s not about protecting JJ it’s about fans making something out of nothing and putting a completely negative spin on anything the club does, criticising the fact the contactless system going down on match day and allowing away fans in the home end is right to talk about in a negative way but making a remark about 10 seconds of an interview just seems strange and then trying to justify it by saying one of your PR mates found it strange hahaha

[louieollie]

Brilliant post lord Bob. The issue that some fans have with the owners is that they came in and got rid of people and in doing so the click at the club. Those that were part of that click are no longer so and they’re bitter but the changes needed to be made long ago. The other issue some fans have is that they live in a comfort zone, a Burnley bubble if you like. To them, having a local club for local people is paramount. They don’t like to see the club trying to expand its horizons, because it threatens that notion and in doing so the small time corner shop mentality that previously reeked the club out. They would be happy to exist bobbling along in the championship, with the occasional foray into the PL but once they just be thankful and happy to be there. That isn’t what sport is about.

Absolutely spot on reply to a very astute and sensible post from Lord bob. Some on here relish the chance to wallow in the " little old Burnley " as if it's a badge of honour! . Too many of the dinosaurs and doom n gloom merchants on here are petrified of being brought into the present nevermind the future potentials this club of ours have.

[CoolClaret]

Absolutely spot on reply to a very astute and sensible post from Lord bob. Some on here relish the chance to wallow in the " little old Burnley " as if it's a badge of honour! . Too many of the dinosaurs and doom n gloom merchants on here are petrified of being brought into the present nevermind the future potentials this club of ours have.

Half waffle, half strawman - good job.

[mickleoverclaret]

Brilliant post lord Bob. The issue that some fans have with the owners is that they came in and got rid of people and in doing so the click at the club. Those that were part of that click are no longer so and they’re bitter but the changes needed to be made long ago. The other issue some fans have is that they live in a comfort zone, a Burnley bubble if you like. To them, having a local club for local people is paramount. They don’t like to see the club trying to expand its horizons, because it threatens that notion and in doing so the small time corner shop mentality that previously reeked the club out. They would be happy to exist bobbling along in the championship, with the occasional foray into the PL but once they just be thankful and happy to be there. That isn’t what sport is about.

If folk were happier being in the Championship then surely they'd be delighted with how this season has gone and our inevitable destination at the end of it.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Got to admire your desire to protect JJ from any 'negativity' but seriously man, look at the guy, you think he has such a thin skin and needs the protection?

I'd be willing to bet he is tired of telling the Bene and Hot story anyway - he kind of winced on the CBS Sports clip when he realized that he'd left it open for Kate Abdo to ask about it.

He'll be moving on to other content and conversations I am sure.

You managed to invent the PR guy's name yet and a few clients ?

Surely your are not too thin skinned to avoid answering

[daveisaclaret]

Brilliant post lord Bob. The issue that some fans have with the owners is that they came in and got rid of people and in doing so the click at the club. Those that were part of that click are no longer so and they’re bitter but the changes needed to be made long ago. The other issue some fans have is that they live in a comfort zone, a Burnley bubble if you like. To them, having a local club for local people is paramount. They don’t like to see the club trying to expand its horizons, because it threatens that notion and in doing so the small time corner shop mentality that previously reeked the club out. They would be happy to exist bobbling along in the championship, with the occasional foray into the PL but once they just be thankful and happy to be there. That isn’t what sport is about.

It's crazy to me how anyone can feel comfortable just making up other people's motivations like this. Just out and out fantasy about why people disagree with you.

Think it's clear forzagranata's petty comments about the bene and hot story have utterly rattled a lot of people, rightly or wrongly, but this level of bullshit really isn't helpful to anyone.

[Woonderbah]

Be good to see him involved in a goalkeeper training session.
Trafford : How am I supposed to get to the ball with eight players in the way ?
Watt : Hold my beer

[CoolClaret]

Be good to see him involved in a goalkeeper training session.
Trafford : How am I supposed to get to the ball with eight players in the way ?
Watt : Hold my beer

Don't you mean bene?

[louieollie]

Half waffle, half strawman - good job.

Eh?

[Vegas Claret]

Young Vizeh is doing a charity event, JJ has donated a decent amount

[Rick_Muller]

Young Vizeh is doing a charity event, JJ has donated a decent amount

lovely to see - but is JJ a UK tax payer for the gift aid element?

[Funkydrummer]

lovely to see - but is JJ a UK tax payer for the gift aid element?

Just beat me to it - and at 25% ?

[Vegas Claret]

lovely to see - but is JJ a UK tax payer for the gift aid element?

I've no idea, given his investment in the club I'd guess at possibly (but that is a complete guess)

[CoolClaret]

Young Vizeh is doing a charity event, JJ has donated a decent amount

Clocked that - very cool of them both.

JJ sees all

[Vegas Claret]

Clocked that - very cool of them both.

JJ sees all

he does indeed

[Aclaret]

he does indeed

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

[CoolClaret]

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

Westleigh I reckon.

[StayingDown4Ever]

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

Vegas Claret

[burnleymik]

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

If he has any sense he will just be a lurker

Nice gesture above with Vizeh and I don't see any negatives to his time he has been involved with us. It's tough for us all right now, without a doubt.

[Vegas Claret]

Vegas Claret

busted

[Quickenthetempo]

Westleigh I reckon.

Westleigh has gone now, EasyasBFC is back.

[Swizzlestick]

Just beat me to it - and at 25% ?

That’s right, isn’t it? 25p extra per £.

Interesting point that he ticked it though - must be receiving some taxable UK income or capital gains.

[Goobs]

From things I have seen whilst involved with our club and things I have seen from X regarding the Texans he is a very genuine guy who gets very emotionally invested in the clubs he is involved with and uses his position and success to help others and support the communities.

[Funkydrummer]

That’s right, isn’t it? 25p extra per £.

Interesting point that he ticked it though - must be receiving some taxable UK income or capital gains.

Basic rate is 20%
Higher rate is 40%
Additional rate is 45% >£125,141

[Swizzlestick]

Basic rate is 20%
Higher rate is 40%
Additional rate is 45% >£125,141

Yeah those are the tax rates, but Gift Aid itself is 25p additional per £ for the charity., regardless of the rate you pay tax at.

[NewClaret]

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

I’d absolutely love it if JJ joined UTC and gave some grief to the Rovers fans on here

[NewClaret]

P.S. well done to JJ.

WHAT. A. GUY.

Can’t believe the muted response that this has got. An owner has donated a fan a grand to run 7 marathons. Unbelievable.

Good luck as well Vizeh. Smash it for your Mum.

[Darthlaw]

Westleigh has gone now, EasyasBFC is back.

I saw Carwin make an appearance this week too.

Poster has more usernames than BFC has wingers

[Aclaret]

I saw Carwin make an appearance this week too.

Poster has more usernames than BFC has wingers

.....I wonder how Factual Frank is doing ?

[Devils_Advocate]

......I wonder what his username is on here ?

I think there is a poster on here who goes by the alias of MD Watt who I suspect is JJ and I think JJ's wife Kealia is also on here as well using the alias DC Watt

[Bowclaret]

I’m currently in Orlando on holiday with my family and obviously wearing our Burnley shirts and the amount of times I’ve been asked by Americans saying “Is that a Burnley FC shirt ?” And then they ask about JJ - Unbelievable what the guy is doing to promote our club.

[littlemissclaret]

25p is 20% of £1.25.

[dandeclaret]

I think there is a poster on here who goes by the alias of MD Watt who I suspect is JJ and I think JJ's wife Kealia is also on here as well using the alias DC Watt

Registration dates tie as well…. I think you’ve nailed it.

[Aclaret]

I think there is a poster on here who goes by the alias of MD Watt who I suspect is JJ and I think JJ's wife Kealia is also on here as well using the alias DC Watt

What ??

[boyyanno]

I've been critical of a few things recently but I really feel like JJ is doing a fantastic job.

He just seems like he gets it 100 percent- things like this really help build that togetherness. Well done that man.

[Swizzlestick]

I too think he comes across really well. He backs up a lot of his words too - whether it’s getting in amongst the fans or making donations like this. Perhaps unlikely, but I hope he’s involved with the club for a long time, even post ALK.

[NewClaret]

I’m currently in Orlando on holiday with my family and obviously wearing our Burnley shirts and the amount of times I’ve been asked by Americans saying “Is that a Burnley FC shirt ?” And then they ask about JJ - Unbelievable what the guy is doing to promote our club.

Great to hear.

There will somebody along soon asking what difference this makes, how it’s being monetised, how many extra shirts have been sold. Blah blah.

What he’s doing an absolutely unbelievable job of doing is just raising awareness and I love that.

[Murger]

Fair play to JJ for that donation.

[Funkydrummer]

Yeah those are the tax rates, but Gift Aid itself is 25p additional per £ for the charity., regardless of the rate you pay tax at.

Yeah of course it is. It's paid out of taxed income.

WALLY

Bit of a brain fart there - my bad.

[Swizzlestick]

Yeah of course it is. It's paid out of taxed income.

WALLY

Bit of a brain fart there - my bad.

No probs at all, you were sort of right anyway as pointed out by littlemissclaret

[Paul Waine]

Yeah of course it is. It's paid out of taxed income.

WALLY

Bit of a brain fart there - my bad.

Gift aid: UK taxpayer gifts money to a UK registered charity. Government adds 25% to the gift, which is equivalent to 20% of the gift + basic rate tax, assuming person making gift pays at minimum the same amount in UK tax. If the gifted is a higher rate tax payer, they can reclaim that extra tax through their self-assessment tax return. So, all money paid to charity becomes tax free to the individual.

It is possible for an international individual to have taxable income in the UK from many different sources.

[spt_claret]

The sad thing is - JJ is from Wisconsin and of course, the local NFL team are Green Bay Packers are a famous old club, legendary from the 1960's era in particular, who hail from the smallest town in the NFL, where the famous old stadium is in the centre of town and the football team is what they town is known for beyond anything else.

The parallels with Burnley are incredible and talking about that is something that would instantly be understandable and recognizable to American sports fans in a way that talking about bloody Bene and Hot never can be.

To be fair, its tough task trying to win Americans over to support a club that isn't one of the Big Six. Fulham had some success because of their American players over the years (Dempsey, Bocanegra etc) and of course Wrexham has been a phenomena because of the owners, but the idea that talking about Bene and Hot is going to make any impact is just silly.

I don't follow the NFL especially closely so this is a fascinating parallel and one that we really ought to draw on more. The Bene story as an analogue to tailgating parties etc. will only go so far, that's a comparison I can immediately see a lot more marketing potential with as someone only vaguely familiar with the Packers. I like JJ though, he's trying, he's putting us out there. The Pat McAfee Show has huge reach.

But on the last point- that's also where I think our 'old fashioned' and 'anti football' image could have come in handy. It might not have appealed to the more laissez-faire coastal, city sports fan types who flit between trendy teams, but it would have resonated massively with other communities- the rust belt comes to mind. One of the biggest criticisms I see from American sports fans regarding football is that it's full of weak divas who dive, feign injury, play act and are prima donnas. Ronaldo, Beckham etc. are as divisive as they are popular. We had an inbuilt image of a throwback team to honest, hard but fair, 'proper footie'. The way that some fans do down the local roots now as some League of Gentlemen nonsense is really insulting, it's one thing to be overly insular but a club preserving its roots, identity & community ought to be celebrated, and I believe would have been by a lot of American sports audiences outside of metropolitan franchise teams that bill a state to build their stadium then relocate across the country. We had a UNIQUE identity, which is in some ways more important than following the trends for cosmpolitan marketing- we will never be able to match City, Liverpool, Chelsea, United, Arsenal for that marketing angle, ever. But the VALUES that the club has, that sense of community, and hard but fair honest play that set itself apart from the playacting and cheating and superficiality of other clubs- those values are marketable worldwide, because everyone wants to see themselves as the honest underdog, especially Americans it's a key component of the American Dream, meritocratic, self-betterment culture.

And I hate to yet again look at ALK as the problem here as I criticise them often, but I think that's possibly the explanation- a team of people used to Wall Street boardrooms and high powered financial circles in the city, is the sort of culture that isn't going to have much experience or understanding of the appeal of that alternative marketing POV. Not malicious, just not their world.

[forzagranata]

Excellent points spt_claret - really hit the nail on the head there.

[Vegas Claret]

at training
https://x.com/BurnleyOfficial/status/17 ... 98587?s=20

[Goliath]

at training
https://x.com/BurnleyOfficial/status/17 ... 98587?s=20

Brilliant. What a great supporter of our club he has become.
He really doenst need to be showing his face on the training ground, thats going above and beyond and its fantastic to see.
He is one of the best things to come out of the new owners who i am otherwise not sold on.

[Aclaret]

at training
https://x.com/BurnleyOfficial/status/17 ... 98587?s=20

Sort em out JJ.

[TPClaret]

I wonder when the last time the Venkys watched a training session

[South West Claret.]

Obviously BFC is his play thing and all the while he’s not taking more out of the club then he puts in he can stay as far as I’m concerned.

[Burnleyareback2]

Must admit it’s hard to fault anything this guy has done for the club.

Wonder who is covering the expenses though!?

What happened to the dude perfect gang though?

[South West Claret.]

“What happened to the dude perfect gang though?” What’s that in English BAB?