Travis Kelce Joins Cleveland Guardians Ownership Group As Minority Investor

 

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has purchased a minority stake in his hometown Major League Baseball team, the Cleveland Guardians. The announcement, reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, adds “MLB owner” to Kelce’s rapidly expanding business portfolio and deepens his already strong ties to Cleveland.

A Cleveland Kid Coming Home

Kelce, 36, grew up in Cleveland Heights and has often spoken about his deep affection for the city that shaped him. In his statement to ESPN, he said:

"I have so much love for this city. 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."

As a child, Kelce was a die-hard Guardians fan (then the Indians) during the team’s dominant 1990s run. He fondly remembers riding the rapid transit downtown with his father, Ed, keeping score at games featuring stars like Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, and Sandy Alomar Jr. Those memories stuck with him.

 Before football took over, baseball was actually Kelce’s first love, and possibly his best sport. At Cleveland Heights High School in 2008, he hit .588 with six home runs as a senior. He even played summer collegiate ball as a powerful, athletic outfielder before committing to the University of Cincinnati on a football scholarship.

Bragging Rights in the Chiefs Locker Room

One fun subplot: Kelce now technically becomes a divisional rival to Mahomes’ Royals. The Guardians currently lead the AL Central by nine games. Kelce joked that the friendly competition will definitely come up in the locker room.

For a player whose larger-than-life personality has already transcended football, thanks in part to his relationship with Taylor Swift and his entertainment ventures, this ownership stake feels like a natural evolution. It allows Kelce to stay connected to his roots while building a post-playing career that spans multiple sports and industries.

Cleveland fans, who have long embraced Kelce as one of their own, will undoubtedly love seeing “87” in the owners’ box at Progressive Field for years to come.