In a world where professional athletes generally need traditional media less, the hype of Super Bowl week has something special to offer Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce. Like it or not, the Kelce brothers are one of the biggest stories at America’s biggest broadcasting event. This is a rare opportunity for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and the Philadelphia Eagles center to boost their brand.
It’s one thing for the average sports fan to know the Kelces. It’s another stratosphere when the average person knows the Kelces. Super Bowl viewership is so massive that football stars can become household names overnight that transcend the sport. The Kelces already have a podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. If they have larger media aspirations, this is the most important week of their next possible career. Jason is 35 and has already played a role in drafting his eventual replacement. Travis is 33 with a lot of mileage on his body.
They should be thinking about their post-retirement careers. If a punter can build a multi-million-dollar media empire, surely the swaggy Kelce brothers can do the same.
If anything, the Kelces have a leg up on Pat McAfee. They have their own media presence while still being active players. More and more athletes now realize that they don’t necessarily need traditional journalists to tell their stories. They have access to their famous friends and teammates and have inside information. This has significant value in the content business.
Why should Draymond Green give up all the good stuff to a reporter when he can tell it all his way on his platform? We heard a lot about The Draymond Green Show during the 2022 NBA Finals as the Golden State Warriors won their fourth championship.
The Kelce brothers are future Hall of Famers and are already Super Bowl champions. In some ways, they are the closest thing to the Mannings in terms of individual and team success. Jason Kelce won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in the 2017 season. Travis Kelce won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs two years later.
But Peyton and Eli never faced each other for the title. The Kelce brothers have said that they are ‘tired’ of the Kelce Bowl storyline. However, that hasn’t stopped them from hawking Kelce Bowl merch.
They should embrace the spotlight this week. It can be hard for non-quarterbacks to stand out because the players wear helmets, careers are often short, and the league discourages showmanship with lame rules like uniform violations and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. There’s a reason why it’s called the No Fun League. The Kelces have become popular by embracing maximum fun.
Travis Kelce was the star of the dating reality TV show Catching Kelce. Jason Kelce wore what could only be described as the most ridiculous outfit ever seen at a Super Bowl celebration parade. These guys are made for television. If they want a broadcasting career, some smart producer will create a show that will play to their strengths.
The Kelce brothers don’t have to be typical commentators. Let them be who they are: entertaining and irreverent.
“The Kelces are perfect for what sports media is right now and that’s evident from the podcast they’re already doing together,” said John Lewis, a longtime sports anchor in Louisville, Ky. “I can see one or both of them leveraging on their natural talent and building a sports media brand as big as Pat McAfee’s. They have the knowledge and most importantly, they have the personalities.”
During Super Bowl week, the brothers should look into every camera, speak into every microphone, and say yes to every opportunity.
The Kelces can’t lose.
About Michael Grant
Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.