Per reports by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has purchased a stake in the Cleveland Guardians.
ESPN writes: The Guardians are valued around $1.7 billion — a stark increase from their $1 billion valuation in 2022, when lead minority owner David Blitzer purchased a stake in the team that includes a pathway to majority ownership.
And Travis Kelce said this about the city of Cleveland, and his love for the Guardians:
“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 played collegiate football at the University of Cincinnati, but grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and was regarded as one of the best baseball players in the area during his adolescence.
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Travis Kelce Joins Chiefs Teammate Patrick Mahomes as Minority Stakeholder in MLB Team
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MAY 23: (L-R) Singer Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs attend Game Three between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.
With this news, Travis Kelce joins teammate Patrick Mahomes as a minority stakeholder in an MLB team. Mahomes invested in the Kansas City Royals in 2020, for about 1% equity.
Kelce is a very avid Cleveland sports fan and was recently spotted at a Cleveland Cavaliers NBA playoff game alongside his soon-to-be wife, Taylor Swift.
It’s clear that Kelce is preparing for his post-playing day ventures, and this is a good start. The Guardians are currently in first place in the AL Central.
Kelce also shared this with ESPN about the friendly banter with Mahomes regarding the Guardians being in first place:
“Rebranded as the Guardians in 2022, they are in first place in the Central after winning the division each of the past two seasons. The Guardians hold a nine-game lead over the Royals — a fact, Kelce said, that won’t go unnoticed in the Chiefs’ locker room when he talks baseball with Mahomes.”
The Guardians continue to be the poster child in MLB for player development and savvy spending. Many MLB analysts and insiders believed the Detroit Tigers could dethrone the Guardians for the AL Central crown this season, and it could still happen, but the Tigers have fallen 10-games back in the division.
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More on Travis Kelce-Guardians Ownership
GettyTaylor Swift talks with Travis Kelce after his viral beer-chugging moment.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the details have not been released on how much stake Travis Kelce purchased in the Guardians.
New York Times writer Jesse Newell wrote (about Kelce’s recent offseason contract):
“Travis Kelce signed a 3-year, $54.735 million contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs. The deal is structured as a practical 1-year, $12 million guaranteed agreement (with $3 million in incentives), with void years in 2027 and 2028 allowing the team to spread out his salary cap hit.”
Travis Kelce hauled in 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns in 2025 with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 11X NFL Pro Bowler has 1080 receptions in his 13-year career, good for 13,002 receiving yards and 82 career touchdowns. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion.
Regarded as this generation’s best tight end, Travis Kelce’s NFL career may be coming to a close soon, as he’s set to get married, reportedly, sometime in July. Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift in August of 2025.
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Travis Kelce Purchases Stake in Cleveland Guardians: MLB Report