Why Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes calls pursuing a WNBA expansion team a ‘no-brainer’

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Putting his clout behind the quest for a WBNA team for Kansas City wasn’t a tough call for Patrick Mahomes.

“It’s kind of no-brainer to try and get a WNBA team in Kansas City, to this fan base,” the superstar Chiefs quarterback said Thursday.

Last week, The Kansas City Star reported Kansas City would pursue a WNBA expansion franchise, and it was revealed this week that Mahomes, his wife Brittany and Angie and Chris Long — the ownership group for the Kansas City Current of the National Women’s Soccer League — would back a WNBA team.

“It was cool that we were able to get the soccer team and they’re going to the playoffs now, and you see the support they have,” Mahomes said. “Let’s try to get a WNBA team here as well with the same type of ownership group.”

The WNBA has awarded expansion franchises to Golden State, Portland and Toronto, and those teams will join the league by 2026.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she would like to see a 16th team by 2028, and Kansas City would like to be that team, playing games at T-Mobile Center.

Besides the Current, which became the first NWSL team to sell out every home game in a season, Mahomes has minority ownership stakes in the Royals, Sporting KC and the Alpine Formula One team.

Mahomes said sports ownership is about more than just business.

“It’s because Kansas City is such a great place for me,” he said. “It’s a place I call home, where I built a house and (where) I’ll be for a long, long time.”