Padres Sale to Kwanza Jones, José E. Feliciano Official, New Owners Say 'We Are All-In'

The San Diego Padres have officially announced a sale to Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones. | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Seidler family has officially agreed to sell the San Diego Padres to a group led by investors and philanthropists, José E. Feliciano, and his wife, Kwanza Jones. The couple will own the franchise jointly.

News of the sale broke two weeks ago. After a months-long process, the Seidlers selected the bid from Felciano and Jones as the winner. Subsequently, the couple attended the second of San Diego's two games against the Diamondbacks in Mexico City. The deal will come at a valuation of $3.9 million, shattering the previous MLB record set when Steve Cohen bought the Mets for $2.42 billion in 2020.

Jones and Feliciano released a statement alongside the official announcement:

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.

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.

Current Padres chairman John Seidler released a statement as well, saying he believed Jones and Feliciano were the right people for the Padres and the city of San Diego. He also congratulated the new owners, finishing the statement by saying, “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. I congratulate Kwanza, José, and the Padres, and wish them nothing but success. We look forward to a smooth transition.”

Feliciano is the co-founder of Clearlake Capital, a private equity firm that owns 61.54% of Chelsea FC. The current ownership group of the club has a mixed track record, especially among fans. Feliciano and Jones are buying the Padres themselves, so it is not a private equity purchase.

Padres fans have been used to years of the big-spending ways of Peter Seidler, who died suddenly in 2023. Seidler spent lavishly in pursuit of the franchise's first World Series title. San Diego fans will expect a similar commitment from the new ownership group. Jones and Feliciano have a lot to live up to.

The Padres enter Saturday 19-12, a half-game behind the defending champion Dodgers in the NL West despite losing four of their last five games. The new ownership group is inheriting a competive team, it will be fascinating to see what their first moves are.

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