By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–The San Diego Padres announced Saturday that the Seidler family has reached a definitive agreement to transfer control of the franchise to a new ownership group led by investors and philanthropists Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, pending approval by Major League Baseball and customary closing conditions.
Padres Chairman John Seidler said the decision followed a highly competitive bidding process and expressed confidence in the incoming ownership group’s commitment to both the franchise and the San Diego community.
“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,” 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.”
Seidler also reflected on the legacy of his late brother, Peter Seidler, who helped transform the Padres into one of Major League Baseball’s highest-spending and most competitive franchises during his tenure.
“Our family loves this team,” Seidler said. “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.”
In a joint statement, Jones and Feliciano described the Padres as “more than a baseball team,” calling the franchise “a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection, and belonging.”
The pair said they plan to build upon the foundation established by the Seidler family while strengthening the team’s ties to the region.
“This is about more than baseball,” the statement read. “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.”
The new ownership group emphasized its commitment to bringing a World Series championship to San Diego.
Jones serves as CEO of the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Initiative, a private family office founded in 2014. Feliciano is co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital Group and has served on several major institutional boards, including the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee.
The Padres said daily operations will continue unchanged during the MLB approval process, and no additional details about the transaction will be released at this time.
