JJ Watt’s Wife and Former Houston Dash Player Kealia Watt Set to Return to NWSL as Part of League’s $240M Media Rights Deal

The second week of March 2024 marks the commencement of a fresh NWSL season. Saturday will witness all 14 teams kick off the much-anticipated contest. However, more than the domestic sides, it’s the unexpected off-field developments that are generating buzz. In a surprising twist, former Houston Dash star Kealia Watt is set to make a return to the NWSL, thanks to the historic $240 million media rights deal.

Amazon Prime Video is among the four broadcasting partners of the NWSL, alongside CBS, Scripps Sports, and ESPN, involved in this deal. Hence, the Jeff Bezos-owned streaming platform, which will air 27 NWSL matches in 2024, announced Kealia Watt as a member of the on-air team for its debut season covering the league on Thursday. A press release from Prime Video, as reported by Chron, did not specify the number of games Watt will be part of. But it did mention that she will serve as a sideline analyst for multiple appearances throughout the year. In fact, Kealia won’t be alone.

Renowned broadcaster Mike Watts will join as play-by-play announcer, while former USWNT star Lori Lindsey will act as the analyst for the main broadcast team. Furthermore, former English soccer star Lianne Sanderson has been appointed as a sideline and match analyst. “Adding these four talented announcers will elevate our coverage and establish credibility as we embrace the culture, stars, and tenor of the league,” said Betsy Riley, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer. Notably, Kealia follows in the footsteps of her husband, JJ Watt, as the NFL star frequently works for CBS as an analyst. This won’t be the only show that fans will get to witness. 

NWSL gets it’s first-ever weekly show

Scripps Sports has made history by becoming the first network to offer dedicated weekly coverage of the NWSL. These broadcasts will include 30-minute pre-match segments analyzing previous game highlights, previewing upcoming matchups on ION, and featuring in-depth stories from across the league. Additionally, halftime presentations will offer match recaps and insights from the studio host and analyst.

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The weekly studio show will debut on March 16 on ION Studio Shows, commencing with the pre-match show at 7 p.m., followed by doubleheaders the following week on March 23. Notably, Scripps Sports will air 50 out of the 118 matches, the highest among the other three broadcasting partners. Nevertheless, such developments ensure that a lot is in store for the fans ahead of the 2024 NWSL season. 

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