Even Chiefs’ tight end and joint McDonald’s representative Travis Kelce came in with compliments for both teams in the World Series. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred went so far as to call their intense seven-game showdown “absolutely epic” baseball. His remarks came during a podcast episode of “New Heights” on November 8, 2025, at 1:39 PM. However, his comments about a Canadian baseball team and the financial dynamics of the league stirred controversy among Canadian fans.
For midwesterners like Whaley, who produced this podcast, the World Series is extremely important. In addition to the new American entrants, he teased that a Canadian squad would be in the mix. He noted, “talking s— about not being personally invested of caring that the team that spent the most money and built a super team won the World Series.” These remarks prompted a firestorm of criticism, with many Canadian baseball fans calling his opinion disappointing.
Shortly after his initial comments, Kelce felt compelled to issue a clarification on social media at 2:56 PM on the same day. He was disappointed too because the podcast’s social media team failed to get the complete story. This extraordinary misjudgment set the stage for widespread misinterpretation of his administration’s goals.
The elder Kelce had a cheeky way of trying to reinstate bridges. To which he jokingly added, “How could I not love poutine, maple syrup, and beavers?! This was likely a deep promise to his love for Canadian culture in the face of overwhelmed negativity he himself received.
Though he went to great lengths to explain the remarks, some T-Swift fans just aren’t buying what he’s selling. The backlash highlights just how delicate conversations about sports can be too, especially when they touch on national pride.
