Padres Agree To Sale Led By Jones And Feliciano

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres announced Saturday that the Seidler family has agreed to transfer control of the franchise to a new ownership group led by investors and philanthropic leaders Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, with the deal still subject to Major League Baseball approval and customary closing conditions.

The team said it will continue operating as usual during the approval process, with no changes to day-to-day business operations. According to the Padres announcement carried by MLB.com, the next MLB owners meeting is scheduled for June, when the approval process could be finalized.

What Happened

The Padres said the agreement would move control of the club from the Seidler family to a group led by Jones and Feliciano, who are life and business partners and co-founders of the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Initiative. The team described Jones as chief executive of the family office and a board member and adviser to institutions, while it identified Feliciano as co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital Group.

The club did not announce a sale price in its Saturday statement. Several outside reports have circulated valuation figures, but the Padres announcement and league-facing material available Saturday did not confirm a price, so the confirmed issue for fans and MLB owners is the transfer of control, not a stated transaction value.

The sale process began publicly in November, when John Seidler said the family had decided to evaluate its future with the Padres, including a potential sale. The team said at the time that BDT & MSD Partners would guide the process and that ownership would continue preparing for the 2026 season while exploring strategic options.

The Seidler family has been part of Padres ownership since the group that included Peter Seidler bought the franchise from John Moores for $800 million in 2012, according to the team. Ron Fowler served as executive chairman from 2012 through 2020, and Peter Seidler became the club's control person after the 2020 season before his death in November 2023.

The Response

Jones and Feliciano framed their bid around continuity, local trust and a championship goal. In a joint statement released through the team, they said the Padres are a civic institution in San Diego as well as a baseball club.

John Seidler backed the buyers in the team statement and said the process had been competitive. He said his goal after becoming control person was to continue the club's recent push toward a World Series title, and he said Jones and Feliciano share the Seidler family's commitment to San Diego.

The community question is central because the Padres have become one of MLB's strongest local attendance draws. MLB.com, citing the club's recent performance, said San Diego ranked second in Major League Baseball attendance in each of the last two seasons, broke franchise attendance records three years in a row and reached the postseason in four of the past six years.

Earlier this spring, John Seidler said any buyer should have ties to San Diego, a deep love of the city and a deep love of baseball. Asked whether a sale would depend on the club remaining in San Diego long term, Seidler answered directly: "The Padres aren't moving from San Diego."

For MLB owners, the next step is governance. The league must approve a control-person transfer, and the Padres said the agreement remains subject to customary closing conditions. That leaves day-to-day baseball operations in place while the league reviews the new group.

What People Are Saying

"The Padres are more than a baseball team; they are a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection, and belonging. As life and business partners, and as a family, we are honored to lead this next chapter together." - Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, joint statement released through the Padres

"We are all in with the goal of bringing a World Series championship to San Diego." - Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, joint statement released through the Padres

"I'm thrilled that after a highly competitive process, Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano will become the next majority owners of the Padres." - John Seidler, Padres chairman

"Our family loves this team. This is a bittersweet moment for us as we reflect on what the Padres have accomplished since my brother Peter became the steward of the franchise." - John Seidler, Padres chairman

"The family has decided to begin a process of evaluating our future with the Padres, including a potential sale of the franchise." - John Seidler, November team statement

"The Padres aren't moving from San Diego." - John Seidler, Padres chairman, spring sale update

The Big Picture

The agreement sets up a near-term MLB approval decision for a franchise that has combined aggressive spending, strong attendance and renewed postseason relevance during the Seidler era. The Padres have not won a World Series, and the new group will inherit both the public expectation created by recent success and the formal league process required before control changes hands.

The team said business operations will continue without changes while approval is pending. If owners approve the agreement, Jones and Feliciano would take control of a club whose next chapter will be measured by three constituencies at once: MLB's ownership standards, San Diego's demand for continuity and the fan base's expectation that the Padres keep chasing their first championship.