What better way to become a part of your hometown baseball team than to buy a stake in the franchise?
That’s what Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce has done, purchasing a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians, according to ESPN; Kelce attended Cleveland Heights High School, which is roughly 20 minutes east of Progressive Field, home of the Guardians.
“I have so much love for this city,” Kelce said about purchasing a minority stake in the Guardians, per ESPN. “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.”
Forbes lists the Guardians as having a $1.66 billion valuation; David Blitzer and Paul Dolan are the primary owners of the franchise. Kelce also has a stake in the Alpine F1 Team (Formula 1) and the St. Joseph Goats (The Arena League).
The 36-year-old Kelce said “there was nothing like Cleveland baseball in the ’90s” and that it was “a core memory” for him. As for those 90s teams, Cleveland reached the World Series in 1995 and 1997 and made the playoffs in six of seven years from 1995-2001. Hall of Famer Jim Thome, six-time All-Star Sandy Alomar, nine-time Silver Slugger Manny Ramirez, five-time Silver Slugger Albert Belle and four-time Gold Glover Kenny Lofton were among the faces of that generation of Cleveland baseball.
As for the present, while they’ve lost back-to-back games, the Guardians previously won 11 of 13 and stand atop the American League Central at 32-25.
Regarding Kelce, the four-time All-Pro and three-time Super Bowl champion is returning to the Chiefs for his 14th NFL season. Last year (2025), Kelce totaled 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns. He stands third all time among NFL tight ends in regular-season receptions (1,080) and receiving yards (13,002) and fifth with 82 receiving touchdowns.
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