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11/13 12:04 CST San Diego Padres could be up for sale as Seidler family
considers options
San Diego Padres could be up for sale as Seidler family considers options
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
The family of the late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler is exploring the
possibility of selling the franchise.
The Padres announced the Seidler family's decision to examine a sale Thursday.
The club has hired BDT & MSD Partners, which served as an adviser on similar
discussions in recent years to the NBA's Boston Celtics and MLB's Chicago White
Sox.
John Seidler, who became the Padres chairman after his brother's death in
November 2023, said his family is "evaluating our future with the Padres,
including a potential sale of the franchise."
"We will undertake this process with integrity and professionalism in a way
that honors Peter's legacy and love for the Padres and lays the foundation for
the franchise's long-term success," John Seidler added in a statement. "During
the process and as we prepare for the 2026 season, the Padres will continue to
focus on their players, employees, fans and community while putting every
resource into winning a World Series championship. We remain fully committed to
this team, its fans, and the San Diego community."
Peter Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres for $800 million in
2012, and he became the team's primary owner in November 2020 after buying out
Ron Fowler's majority stake. He quickly endeared himself to Padres fans with
his aggressive spending in an attempt to win San Diego's first major
professional sports championship.
After the two-time cancer survivor died two years ago, his wife, Sheel, sued
her brothers-in-law Matthew and Robert in an attempt to prevent John Seidler
from becoming the team's control person. Sheel Seidler alleged Peter Seidler
wanted her to succeed him, but Matthew Seidler said Sheel Seidler's claims were
"entirely untrue, and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them."
Peter Seidler, a grandson of former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley,
built the foundation for the longest sustained stretch of winning in Padres
history.
San Diego has made the postseason four times in the past six years, winning at
least 90 games in each of the last two seasons with an exciting roster built
around stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. The Padres continued to win
despite reducing their payroll in 2024 following Peter Seidler's death.
The Padres won 90 games this year before losing a tense three-game Wild Card
Series to the Chicago Cubs. Earlier this week, general manager A.J. Preller
introduced former Padres reliever Craig Stammen as the club's new manager.
The Padres' large, loyal fan base and their home the well-regarded Petco Park
would be significant assets for a potential new owner. The San Diego
metropolitan area is among the top 20 largest markets in the U.S., yet the
Padres were the only major professional sports team in town between the
departure of the NFL's Padres in 2017 and the arrival of Major League Soccer's
expansion San Diego FC this season.
Not every consideration of a potential sale leads to an actual sale in MLB. Los
Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno explored a sale of his franchise for several
months in late 2022 before deciding to keep the team.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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