Travis Kelce Purchases Guardians Minority Stake, 'I Have So Much Love For This City'

Travis Kelce plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, but his roots are in Cleveland.

And he is reconnecting with his hometown by purchasing a minority ownership stake in the Cleveland Guardians, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"I have so much love for this city," Kelce said. "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."

He joins teammate Patrick Mahomes in the baseball ownership department, as the quarterback is a minority owner of the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals and Guardians just so happen to be American League Central rivals.

"We're both as competitive as it gets, so you know there will be some bragging rights on the line when we play our division games," Kelce said. "But I really have a lot of respect for the Royals and their organization. It was a fun time in Kansas City cheering them on for their World Series win in 2015."

As Passan detailed, Kelce grew up going to Cleveland baseball games in the 1990s when the franchise won five consecutive division titles from 1995 through 1999. It reached the 1995 and 1997 World Series during that span, although it is still looking for its first championship since 1948.

Kelce also starred as a high school baseball player in the Cleveland area and hit .588 in his senior season. Ultimately, though, he followed his football dreams and became one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

His resume includes three Super Bowl titles, four First-Team All-Pro selections, 11 Pro Bowl nods and seven seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards.

The future Hall of Famer has been with the Chiefs his entire NFL career and knows firsthand what it is like to have full organizational support.

"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," Kelce said. "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."