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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw his support behind the ongoing efforts to bring a WNBA expansion franchise to the city where he has spent his entire NFL career.
Mahomes and wife Brittany are already co-owners of the Kansas City Current, a National Women’s Soccer League franchise. Members of the Current’s ownership group have been in talks with the WNBA about establishing an expansion franchise in Kansas City.
Late last month, the three-time Super Bowl champion described the idea of bringing a professional women’s basketball franchise to Kansas City as a “no-brainer.”
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Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the press during Chiefs minicamp June 15, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (Kyle Rivas/Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Obviously, we want to get basketball in Kansas City in general,” said Mahomes, who also has ownership stakes in the Royals and the MLS club Sporting Kansas City. “You talk about the University of Kansas basketball, the Chiefs, whatever it is, the city is going to come out to the stadium. It’s cool we were able to get the women’s soccer team here, and you see the support they have.”
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The Current, who play in a stadium near downtown Kansas City, have regularly sold out their home games this season.
Patrick and Brittany have attended several Current games. They have also appeared at games played by the city’s Major League Soccer team, Sporting KC. Brittany is a former soccer player.
The Chiefs quarterback recently attended the Royals’ playoff series against the Cleveland Guardians. The Royals play home games at Kauffman Stadium, which is located next door to Arrowhead Stadium.
A basketball during warmups before a game between the Seattle Storm and the Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena June 20, 2023, in Seattle. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images / Getty Images)
“I think, more than anything, I know how much sports has given to me,” he said. “Whenever I’m done with football — whenever that is — and I have to venture into life after football, and chase kids around, I want to still be a part of it. Hopefully, we can get this WNBA team here, for life after football, so I can make an impact in sports and show my daughter that you can chase your dream, whatever dream that is.”
The WNBA is expanding by three teams over the next two seasons with Golden State, Portland and Toronto pushing the total number of franchises to 15. And while league Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has said the WNBA would like to add a 16th team by the 2028 season, Kansas City is expected to have competition from St. Louis, Philadelphia and several other cities.
The league has been buoyed by young stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, drawing its best attendance numbers in 22 years this past season.
Angel Reese, left, and Caitlin Clark, right, of Team WNBA during the 2024 WNBA All Star Game, July 20, 2024, at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Ariz. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Kansas City has long had the infrastructure for a professional basketball franchise, building the T-Mobile Center in 2007 in hopes of luring an NBA or NHL club to town.
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Mahomes believes a WNBA franchise would be the perfect fit for the downtown arena.
“They want to expand. Just like any other business, you have to pick and choose how,” he said. “Obviously, you’ve seen the last few years the WNBA has grown. We feel like Kansas City is a great place to continue that growth, but we have to battle other cities to show them that this is the right place.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
