The final step in the sale of the San Diego Padres is complete. MLB owners have unanimously approved the new ownership group, led by Jose Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, according to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale.
As Nightengale notes, Jones will be the first black majority owner in the league’s history. Feliciano is a Puerto Rican business owner who co-founded the private equity firm Clearlake Capital. He also has stakes in Chelsea F.C. in the Premier League.
The two led a group of investors that purchased the Padres for $3.9 billion from the Seidler family in April. The team had been under the Seidler family, primarily the late Peter Seidler, since 2012.
With ownership issues resolved, the focus for the Padres will be to finish the 2026 season strong. Entering play on August 17, the club holds the National League’s final Wild Card spot. Their lead is currently a game over their division rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Padres New Ownership Releases a Statement After Approval
GettyPadres new owner Jose Feliciano during the Diamondbacks vs. Padres series in Mexico City. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Upon the approval of Jose Feliciano the new controlling people for the Padres, the two released a joint statement. Nightengale posted the statement on X.
“Our ambition is clear: to bring a World Series championship to San Diego and build an enduring organization capable of competing for championships year after year. We intend to be engaged owners, bringing our energy, experience, and perspective while working alongside the talented team already in place and investing ambitiously and thoughtfully in the Padres’ future. That means pursuing excellence and innovation throughout the organization, delivering a first-class experience at Petco Park, deepening the bond with the faithful fans, and making a positive impact across the San Diego community. We are all in and committed to winning.”
The Padres also posted a statement on X about Feliciano and Jones’ approval. In terms of running the club, CEO Erik Gruepner and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller should remain in place. That should ensure the least amount of disruption for the organization while they transition to a new ownership group.
Feliciano and Jones will be introduced to the media next Monday (August 24), according to The Athletic‘s Dennis Lin.
MLB Releases Statement on Padres Ownership Change
GettyMLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to the media at Wrigley Field.
With a change in ownership, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also released a statement on the vote, published by Lin in his piece for The Athletic.
“It is my pleasure to welcome José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones as the new majority owners of the Padres following today’s vote. José and Kwanza understand the unique place the Padres hold in San Diego and the powerful bond between the club and its fans. We look forward to their leadership of the Padres and to working with them to build on the club’s strong foundation in a market that is so important to Major League Baseball.”
The Padres have experienced a lot of recent success. They’ve made the postseason in three of the past four seasons. They advanced to the National League Championship Series in 2022, but haven’t advanced that far ever since.
The mandate for the Padres under Feliciano and Jones will be to close the gap between them and their rivals up north in Los Angeles.
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