Three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce has acquired a minority stake in the Cleveland Guardians, the Major League Baseball team announced on Wednesday. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, a Cleveland native, purchased a small share of David Blitzer's 35 per cent holding, with Blitzer retaining the option to become the controlling owner after the 2027 season.
Kelce revealed the news on the New Heights podcast with his brother Jason, saying: 'The opportunity came across my desk and I just couldn’t say no. These guys gave me the opportunity to show my Cleveland love and plant my roots in Cleveland forever.'
The 34-year-old, who excelled in baseball at Cleveland Heights High School and was named a Cleveland Plain Dealer baseball player of the week in May 2008, will throw a ceremonial first pitch on 14 June against the Detroit Tigers. His previous attempt in 2023 resulted in a ball that spiked near the plate.
Guardians majority owner Paul Dolan and Blitzer praised Kelce's credentials in a joint statement, saying: 'Travis Kelce knows what it takes to win at the highest levels and he’s exemplified that throughout his playing career and in the way he shows up as a community leader and businessman.'
Kelce joins fellow Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, who holds a stake in the Kansas City Royals, in investing in an MLB team. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, a San Francisco 49ers fan, admitted: 'I’m still a little bit bitter because the Chiefs beat the Niners twice in the Super Bowl. But outside of that, it’s pretty cool to have Kelce on board.'
