Padres announce agreement to sell team to investor group led by Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano

The deal with private equity billionaire Feliciano and his wife took shape last month at an MLB-record valuation of $3.9 billion. The Padres’ announcement of the deal didn’t give specifics on the members of the investor group or the purchase price.

“The Padres are more than a baseball team; they are a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection and belonging,” Jones and Feliciano said in a joint statement. “As life and business partners, and as a family, we are honored to lead this next chapter together. We have worked hard for everything we have achieved, and we have built it together. We see that same spirit in this team and its fans, and we know what it takes to win. We are committed to showing up, listening and earning the trust of this community while building on the strong foundation established by the Seidler family.

“This is about more than baseball — it’s about boosting the pride, energy, and connection that define the Padres, investing in community, deepening belonging and ensuring this team remains accessible and endures for generations. We are all in — with the goal of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.”

Seidler’s family began to explore a sale of the Padres last November, two years after the death of the popular Peter Seidler, who became the Padres’ primary owner in 2020. His brother, John Seidler, has served as the Padres’ chairman since his death.

“When I became control person, my goal was to continue building on our recent success in pursuit of a World Series championship for the city of San Diego and our faithful fans,” John Seidler said in a statement. “As I pass the baton to Kwanza and José, I do so with full confidence that they share that vision as well as the Padres’ deep commitment to San Diego. It’s what the team, our fans and the community deserve. Our family loves this team.”

Peter Seidler joined the Padres’ ownership group in 2012 when John Moores sold the team for $800 million to a group headed by Ron Fowler. Seidler took over and immediately endeared himself to San Diego’s fans with his aggressive financial backing of general manager A.J. Preller, who built a team that has reached the playoffs in four of the past six years.

The Padres have been a hot ticket for several years as San Diego’s only team in the four biggest North American sports leagues, ranking second in the majors in attendance last season. Preller’s roster is off to another strong start this season, sitting second in the NL West at 19-12 heading into a home game against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night.

Jones and Feliciano already got a start on their new endeavor last month when they traveled to Mexico City to watch the Padres’ international series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The couple was spotted sitting with Padres CEO Erik Greupner.

Feliciano will become the second Latino owner in baseball, joining Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno. Latino and Hispanic players comprise roughly 30% of major league rosters.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb