The Kelce brothers frequently wax poetically about growing up in Cleveland, and how they became big sports fans of the Cavaliers, Browns and Guardians.
On the latest episode of their New Heights podcast, they talked about Super Bowl LX, which was played in Santa Clara, California. The only downside to the Kelce boys was Levi’s Stadium being located so far from San Francisco.
They also lamented that the Browns will be moving to a new stadium in Brook Park, Ohio. But Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce gets the allure of the stadium deals NFL owners have received.
And, yeah, Kelce mentioned the Chiefs’ plan to play at a domed stadium in Wyandotte County.
The plan from the state of Kansas could include $2.775 billion in STAR bonds. The Chiefs’ new practice facility and headquarters in Olathe could include $975 billion in STAR bonds.
Kelce is saddened by the thought of the Chiefs leaving GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, but he fully understands why CEO and chairman Clark Hunt would move the team across the state line.
“The owners, they get so much more opportunity getting to the outskirts of the city,” Kelce said. “And it’s hard to argue with those opportunities, and we’re dealing with it right now in Kansas City. We’re going over to Kansas, but at the same time, it’s like, if you look at that deal in terms of an owner, like that’s one of the greatest opportunities you could ever get as an owner.
“And I think it’s going to be unbelievable once it’s finally set in stone. But it is going to be kind of heartbreaking knowing that the Chiefs are going to move away from Arrowhead and that Missouri side of Kansas City.
“It’s just a part of the old, you know, professional sports. It is a business at the end of the day.”
Kelce’s brother, Jason, the former Eagles center turned ESPN analyst, bemoaned the new stadium locations because of what it means for fans.
And he pointed out that the owners want the stadiums for more than football reasons.
“I hear what you’re saying, and if I was an owner, I might feel differently, but (forget) that,” Jason Kelce said. “Keep those stadiums in the cities. I know you guys want to make all your money, and you want to add your shows, and you want to do all this stuff. The fans pay a lot of the money for you guys to have all these things and for the NFL to exist. “And I don’t like the stadiums moving. I don’t like that Cleveland’s moving out of Cleveland. Well, Arrowhead is already outside of (downtown), so I don’t really care that much whether it’s in Missouri or Kansas.”
Downtown Chiefs stadium
While unconcerned about which side of the state line the new Chiefs stadium will be located, Jason Kelce thought the team could have moved to downtown Kansas City.
“There’s something awesome about going downtown, into the heart of Cleveland to go see a Browns game,” Jason Kelce said. “And they could figure out a way to build a new stadium downtown. Like, you could build a big, beautiful stadium right down there. And you can do the same thing in Kansas City.
“You can do the same thing in all these places, and then it wouldn’t be an hour-and-a-half drive out there. I get that these owners want to make money, but at the same time, I don’t know why I don’t like it (but) I don’t like it.”