Is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes slowly becoming a sports business tycoon?
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the ownership of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current — which includes Mahomes and his wife, Brittany — has met with the WNBA to land an expansion team.
“We want to get basketball to Kansas City in general and then WNBA. The success they’ve had this last season and these last few seasons is kind of a no-brainer,” Mahomes said during a Thursday news conference. “To try to get a WNBA team in Kansas City to this fan base — you see it if you talk about University of Kansas Basketball, the Chiefs or whatever it is — the city of Kansas City is going to come out, and they’re going to fill the stadium.”
The WNBA is expanding to 15 teams over the next two seasons with franchises in Portland, Toronto and the Bay Area. The league wants to add a 16th squad by the 2028 season.
Mahomes and company may face stiff competition. Sportico’s Jacob Feldman reported Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum — a St. Louis native — has backed his hometown’s WNBA bid.
If Mahomes’ group outbids others and acquires a WNBA team, that would add to his impressive portfolio. He already co-owns the Kansas City Royals and Sporting K.C.
Mahomes said he wants to become more involved in sports ownership when he retires, and women’s sports are a significant part of his plans.
“I’ve met players and women from other sports that I’ve kind of been around, including my wife, and see they didn’t get the same things I got coming up,” Mahomes said. “So, I want to give them those same resources, those same facilities … I want to continue to work in women’s sports as long as I can.”
Investing in women’s sports seems like a smart move for Mahomes. Deloitte recently projected women’s sports will surpass $1B in revenue for the first time in 2024, and it expects league and team valuations to keep skyrocketing.
Mahomes is clearly preparing for life after football and trying to find ways to deepen his pockets.