Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is interviewed by CBS Sports reporter Melanie Collins after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Patrick Mahomes expressed his desire to see a WNBA expansion team in Kansas City.
Unlike most professional athletes, Mahomes has the influence and financial means to potentially make this vision a reality.
“We want to bring basketball to Kansas City and eventually introduce the WNBA,” Mahomes stated on Thursday. “With the recent success of the league, it just makes sense.”
Both Mahomes and his wife Brittany are investors in the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League. Additionally, Mahomes holds ownership stakes in the MLB’s Royals and MLS’s Sporting Kansas City.
The three-time Super Bowl champion, who signed a lucrative contract extension with the Chiefs in 2020, aims to continue owning professional sports teams even after his playing career ends. He specifically wants to support women’s sports to inspire his daughter to pursue her dreams.
Kansas City has a strong basketball culture, partly due to the University of Kansas’ tradition. The city also boasts the T-Mobile Center, a suitable arena for NBA and NHL teams, but it has yet to secure a permanent tenant in either league.
As the WNBA expands, with plans to increase from 12 to 15 teams in the next two seasons by adding clubs in San Francisco, Portland, and Toronto, the goal is to eventually reach 16 teams. Other cities like St. Louis and Philadelphia are also potential competitors with Kansas City for a franchise.
“Bringing a WNBA team to Kansas City will surely attract a passionate fan base – similar to the support seen for University of Kansas basketball and the Chiefs,” Mahomes emphasized.
“We were successful in establishing the women’s soccer team, the Current, with great support as they head into the playoffs. I hope to replicate that success with a WNBA team by working alongside the same ownership group,” Mahomes added.
–Field Level Media
