KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, along with the ownership group of the Kansas City Current, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League, has been in discussions with officials from the WNBA regarding the possibility of bringing an expansion team to the city.
Mahomes addressed the talks on Thursday, emphasizing that establishing women’s basketball in Kansas City was a logical move. “We definitely want to promote basketball in Kansas City as a whole,” Mahomes stated. He holds ownership stakes in multiple local sports teams, including the Royals and MLS club Sporting Kansas City. “Considering the history of basketball at the University of Kansas and the support for the Chiefs, I believe fans will show up for games. The support for our women’s soccer team has been fantastic, which is great to see.”
Presently, the Current plays in a state-of-the-art $117 million stadium situated near downtown Kansas City, and they have consistently drawn large crowds for their matches this season. They are set to enter the NWSL playoffs as the No. 4 seed on November 9, having only experienced three losses throughout the regular season.
Both Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, a former soccer player herself, are frequent attendees at games for the Current and Sporting KC. Recently, Mahomes was spotted in a suite at Kauffman Stadium, enjoying a playoff game between the Royals and the Guardians.
“I understand the impact that sports have had on my life,” Mahomes declared, as the undefeated Chiefs gear up to face Tampa Bay on Monday night. “When my football career concludes—whenever that may be—and I focus on family and other pursuits, I want to remain engaged in the sports community. Setting up a WNBA team here would be a way to contribute to that world and inspire my daughter to follow her dreams, no matter what they may be.”
The WNBA is set to expand by three teams in the next couple of years, with franchises in Golden State, Portland, and Toronto elevating the league’s total to 15. League commissioner Cathy Engelbert has expressed interest in adding a 16th team by the 2028 season. However, Kansas City is likely to face competition from other cities, including St. Louis, Philadelphia, and more.
The league’s popularity has surged, driven by emerging stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, leading to its highest attendance in 22 years during the most recent season. The championship’s Game 5 attracted a peak of 3.3 million TV viewers, marking the most-watched WNBA game in 25 years, with multiple regular-season broadcasts also surpassing the million-viewer milestone across different networks.
Kansas City has long been prepared for a professional basketball team, having built the T-Mobile Center in 2007 with aspirations of attracting an NBA or NHL franchise. Although those aims never came to fruition, the venue remains active with concerts and various sports events, including the Big 12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments held every March.
Mahomes believes that a WNBA franchise would be well-suited for the downtown facility. “They are looking to grow. Like any other business, it’s about strategic decision-making,” Mahomes observed. “The WNBA has made significant progress in recent years, and we think Kansas City could be an optimal place for that expansion. Yet, we have to compete with other cities to demonstrate that this is the preferred location.”