Travis Kelce follows Tom Brady into team ownership with immediate stadium dilemma to solve
Travis Kelce is set to swap the football field for the ballpark.
The Kansas City Chiefs legend has joined the Cleveland Guardians‘ ownership group as a minority investor, and will purchase a stake in the MLB team he grew up watching.
Kelce, 36, becomes the latest big-name athlete to acquire a stake in a sports team, following the likes of Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and NBA legend LeBron James, who has a stake in the Boston Red Sox.
“I have so much love for this city,” Kelce told ESPN of his investment decision.
“I say it all the time: I’m just a kid from the Heights living the dream. I credit every good thing in my life to Cleveland and being raised here with the values and the people and the work ethic.
“Cleveland Heights is such a diverse and dynamic place. Every friend, neighbor, teacher and teammate — they all made me the man I am today.
“It just fueled such a deep appreciation for life and community and service. That mentality of Cleveland against the world runs deep.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a front-row seat to good ownership in my career, and I know the best teams prioritize culture.
“Everyone is there to play their role, and right now, I’m here to observe and learn and really to support the team and the city when and where I can.”
Kelce, who grew up in Cleveland during the 1990s, when the Guardian’s won five consecutive American League Central titles, has already used his $111million NFL earnings to invest in a range of other businesses.
His growing business portfolio includes investments in Six Flags amusement parks, Garage Beer and even the Alpine Formula One team.
The future NFL Hall of Famer was brought into the Guardians’ group by lead minority owner David Blitzer, and it will mark a highly personal venture.
“There was nothing like Cleveland baseball in the ’90s,” Kelce said.
“That’s just a core memory for me. Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Sandy Alomar Jr., the list goes on, and I admire how they just continue to pour into this city and this game.
“It’s something that resonates with me, giving back to the places and the people that gave so much to you.”
Travis Kelce faces stadium dilemma with Guardians investment
While he will no doubt be excited to get started, Kelce has joined an ownership group facing somewhat of a ballpark headache.
In February 2026, Cleveland.com reported that the Guardians are eyeing unclaimed state funds to help pay for mounting repair costs to Progressive Field.
Their landlord, the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland, is unable to pay on its own.
The Guardians, and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers who play on the same downtown complex, applied for a combined $105m in assistance from a state program that allows franchises to request up to 25 percent of a project’s estimated renovation cost.
However, that money is currently blocked by a court injunction, which stems from a lawsuit that challenged the legality of using the unclaimed funds towards sports and cultural projects.
The NFL’s Cleveland Browns also have money tied to that pot.
As it stands, officials have not provided a timeline for announcing grant recipients or releasing funds, and it remains unclear whether they will be distributed at all.
The Guardians hope to use their share of the money towards a total $259m in future projects.
Patrick Mahomes responds to Travis Kelce’s MLB investment
Kelce, of course, is a man synonymous with Kansas City.
He’s played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Chiefs, and has been spotted at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Royals, where he has thrown out the first pitch.
But when it comes to baseball, Kelce’s heart belongs to Cleveland, and he’ll be in competition with close friend Patrick Mahomes, who owns a stake in the Kansas City team.
“We’re both as competitive as it gets, so you know there will be some bragging rights on the line when we play our division games,” Kelce said.
“But I really have a lot of respect for the Royals and their organization. It was a fun time in Kansas City cheering them on for their World Series win in 2015.”
Despite a growing rivalry, Mahomes is happy his friend has entered the world of baseball.
“Congrats!” he wrote on X, sharing an amusing video of Kelce’s 2023 Opening Day pitch for the Guardians.
Stay up to date with the NFL across all our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
