Kelce acquires minority stake in Cleveland Guardians alongside Blitzer
The 36-year-old athlete becomes the latest active professional sportsman to invest in Major League Baseball, joining lead minority owner David Blitzer in a deal that values the team at approximately $1.7 billion.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has purchased a minority stake in the Major League Baseball team, the Cleveland Guardians, joining the ownership group alongside lead minority owner David Blitzer. The 36-year-old athlete cited a deep connection to Cleveland, where he grew up, as the primary driver for the investment, describing the move as a way to support the team and the city that shaped his early life.
Kelce’s entry into the ownership structure follows a pathway established by Blitzer, who purchased a stake in the franchise in 2022. Blitzer, who also co-owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, holds a pathway to majority ownership that could be converted as early as after the 2027 season. The Guardians are currently valued at approximately $1.7 billion, a significant increase from their $1 billion valuation in 2022.
The investment aligns Kelce with a growing cohort of active athletes holding equity in MLB teams. He joins Chiefs teammate Patrick Mahomes, who became a minority owner of the Kansas City Royals in July 2020, as well as other prominent figures including LeBron James of the Boston Red Sox, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Cade Cunningham of the Texas Rangers.
Kelce’s connection to the franchise is rooted in his youth in Cleveland Heights. He recalled growing up during the team’s renaissance in the 1990s, attending games with his father, Ed, who also served as his baseball coach. Before focusing on football, Kelce was a standout baseball player in the Cleveland metropolitan area, hitting .588 with six home runs in his senior season in 2008. He noted that baseball was the only sport to attract early interest from scouts, though he ultimately chose football after being recruited to the University of Cincinnati.
The Guardians are currently in first place in the Central division, holding a nine-game lead over the Kansas City Royals. Kelce acknowledged the competitive dynamic this creates with Mahomes, noting that bragging rights would be on the line during divisional games. Beyond his sports investments, Kelce holds stakes in an amusement-park company, a mattress company, a beer company, a restaurant, and a lucrative podcast, in addition to his investment in the Alpine Formula 1 team.
