The Seidler family has entered into a definitive agreement to transfer control of the San Diego Padres to a group led by José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, setting up a change that could close at Major League Baseball’s next owners meeting in June. Feliciano will serve as control person once the sale is finalized, and he and Jones will run the team as a partnership.
The deal would move about 40% of the Padres into the hands of a couple who have been married since 2002 and met in college. People familiar with their thinking said the purchase is a personal investment meant to remain in their control for generations, not a quick flip. The sale still needs approval from at least three-quarters of the other 29 team owners, so the ownership change is not complete yet.
Feliciano and Jones said they are committed to showing up, listening and earning the trust of the San Diego community, and said they are all in on bringing a World Series championship to San Diego. In a joint statement, they called the Padres more than a baseball team and described them as a unifying force rooted in community, connection and belonging. They also said they see this as a chance to keep the team accessible and enduring for generations.
The Padres matter far beyond the field because they are San Diego’s only major sports franchise. The Seidler family’s control has been described as the most successful period in franchise history, and John Seidler said the family loves the team and that the transition is bittersweet. He congratulated Kwanza, José and the Padres and said he expected a smooth handoff.
Feliciano is often referred to as a majority owner of Chelsea, which is controlled by funds managed by Clearlake Capital, the private equity firm he co-founded. He is one of three people who control Chelsea. He grew up steps from a baseball field in Puerto Rico and was a catcher in Little League, while Jones was raised in Washington, D.C., and ran track at Princeton. The couple lives in Los Angeles and plans to buy a home in San Diego, a sign that their role with the team is expected to become far more than symbolic if MLB owners approve the deal in June.
