MLB Owners Approve $3.9 B Sale of San Diego Padres

Major League Baseball’s 30 team owners voted unanimously to approve the sale of the San Diego Padres to an investor group headed by private-equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and his wife and business partner Kwanza Jones. The league announced the approval earlier this week, noting that the transaction remains subject to closing in the coming weeks.

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The Padres were previously owned by the family of the late Peter Seidler, who had held the franchise since 1994. In May, Feliciano and Jones reached a purchase agreement with the Seidler family. The sale price of $3.9 billion sets a new MLB-record valuation for a franchise, reflecting both the club’s market potential and the broader trend of escalating sports-team valuations.

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• José E. Feliciano – Private-equity billionaire and lead investor in the purchase group.

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• Kwanza Jones – Business partner, wife of Feliciano, and co-lead of the investment consortium.

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• Rob Manfred – Commissioner of Major League Baseball, who issued a statement on the approval.

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• Peter Seidler family – Sellers of the franchise, heirs of the late owner.

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• Sale price: $3.9 billion, the highest ever recorded for an MLB team.

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• Ownership vote: 30-0 unanimous approval by all MLB owners.

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He expressed confidence that Feliciano and Jones will build on the franchise’s existing foundation and contribute positively to a market that is important to Major League Baseball.

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The deal now moves toward final closing, with the league and the buyer group working to complete the transaction in the upcoming weeks.

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