Kelce Brothers Weigh In on Stadium Moves, NFL Economics, and the Future of Arrowhead
The Kelce brothers have never been shy about their Cleveland roots. Whether it's reminiscing about their early days as diehard fans of the Browns, Cavaliers, and Guardians, or sharing stories from their Ohio upbringing, their hometown pride runs deep. But on a recent episode of their New Heights podcast, the conversation turned from nostalgia to the business of football - and specifically, the changing landscape of NFL stadiums.
With Super Bowl LX in the rearview mirror, Travis and Jason Kelce took a moment to reflect on the venue - Levi’s Stadium - and its location far from downtown San Francisco. For two guys who grew up loving city-based stadiums, the suburban sprawl of Santa Clara didn’t quite deliver the same energy.
But the heart of the conversation centered around stadium relocations, particularly two that hit close to home: the Browns’ future move to Brook Park, Ohio, and the Kansas City Chiefs’ potential shift from iconic Arrowhead Stadium to a new domed facility in Wyandotte County, Kansas.
Travis Understands the Business - But Still Feels the Sting
Travis Kelce, the Chiefs’ All-Pro tight end, didn’t hide his mixed emotions. On one hand, he gets it. The economics of the NFL are shifting, and the opportunities for owners to build state-of-the-art facilities - complete with entertainment districts, retail, and more - are simply too big to ignore.
“The owners, they get so much more opportunity getting to the outskirts of the city,” Travis said. “And it’s hard to argue with those opportunities... If you look at that deal in terms of an owner, like that’s one of the greatest opportunities you could ever get.”
He’s referring to the proposed stadium development in Wyandotte County, which could be backed by a staggering $2.775 billion in STAR bonds - a financing tool that leverages future sales tax revenue to pay for large-scale projects. The Chiefs are also eyeing a new practice facility and headquarters in Olathe, potentially supported by another $975 million in STAR bonds.
From a business perspective, it’s hard to argue with the numbers. But for Travis, the emotional weight of leaving Arrowhead - one of the NFL’s most storied venues - still hits hard.
“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,” he said. “It’s just a part of the old, you know, professional sports. It is a business at the end of the day.”
Jason Pushes Back - It’s About the Fans
Jason Kelce, recently retired and now an ESPN analyst, brought a different perspective - one that echoed the frustrations of many fans when teams move out of city centers and into sprawling suburbs.
“I hear what you’re saying, and if I was an owner, I might feel differently,” Jason said. “But (forget) that. Keep those stadiums in the cities.”
For Jason, the issue isn’t just about convenience - it’s about community. Stadiums, he argued, should be more than just revenue generators. They should be accessible, central, and woven into the fabric of the city they represent.
“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,” Jason continued. “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.”
He was especially vocal about the Browns’ move out of Cleveland proper, but also took issue with the idea that the Chiefs wouldn’t consider a downtown Kansas City location - something he believes could capture the same energy he felt growing up in Cleveland.
“There’s something awesome about going downtown, into the heart of Cleveland to go see a Browns game,” Jason said. “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.”
A Familiar NFL Crossroads
What the Kelce brothers are tapping into is a familiar tension in modern sports: the push and pull between tradition and transformation, between fan experience and financial opportunity.
Travis sees the writing on the wall. The NFL is a business, and owners are chasing long-term growth, diversified revenue streams, and year-round stadium utility. That often means moving away from historic sites like Arrowhead in favor of multipurpose mega-complexes.
Jason, though, speaks for the fans who grew up with those stadiums as landmarks - places that felt like home, not just venues. His frustration isn’t just about logistics; it’s about identity, culture, and the soul of the game.
In the end, both brothers make valid points. Travis understands the economics.
Jason champions the emotion. And somewhere in between lies the future of stadium development in the NFL - a future that will shape how fans experience the game for generations to come.