Full Breakdown
Joey and Jesse Buss Acquire Minority Stake in San Diego Padres Amid Lakers Family Dispute
8/27/2026, 2:20:14 AM
Core Event
Brothers Joey and Jesse Buss, through Buss Sports Capital, have secured an approximately 5 percent ownership stake in the San Diego Padres. The deal was announced in August 2026 as the Padres’ sale to private-equity investors José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones closed at a MLB-record valuation of $3.9 billion. The Buss brothers will also serve on the ownership group’s advisory board.
Background & Context
The Buss family sold their controlling Lakers stake to Mark Walter in 2025. Walter later sold the Lakers to a consortium led by Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion. Five of the six Buss siblings voted to sell their remaining 17.8 percent Lakers stake; sister Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ governor, has legally challenged that sale.
Timeline
- 2025 – Mark Walter purchases the Lakers from the Buss family.
- 2025 – Joey and Jesse launch Buss Sports Capital.
- Mid-2025 – Walter sells the Lakers to the Kushner-Iger group.
- Late 2025 – Five Buss siblings vote to sell the family’s 17.8 percent Lakers stake.
- Early 2026 – Jeanie Buss files a legal challenge.
- August 2026 – Padres ownership change closes; the Buss brothers acquire a 5 percent stake and join the advisory board.
Data & Statistics
- Padres stake: ~5 percent (Buss Sports Capital).
- Padres valuation: $3.9 billion.
- Lakers minority stake: 17.8 percent before the attempted sale.
- Lakers sale price: $12.5 billion to the Kushner-Iger consortium.
Official Statements & Responses
Joey Buss emphasized the family’s connection to San Diego and the community role of sports. Jesse Buss said the brothers will apply championship-building principles from basketball to baseball. The new Padres ownership group framed the acquisition as a “tremendous opportunity” to deepen fan engagement.
Jeanie Buss, through attorney Adam Streisand, contests the Lakers stake sale, asserting it was made without her consent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are honored to join Kwanza and José and have the opportunity to contribute to the future of a team that Jesse and I have loved since we were kids growing up in San Diego,” — Joey Buss, alternate governor
- “The Padres are on the cusp of something special, and through Buss Sports Capital, we look forward to bringing our experience and perspective to the ownership group and doing our part to build on the strong foundation already in place,” — Joey Buss, alternate governor
- “Joey and I had the privilege of learning from our father and then spending nearly two decades building our own careers in professional basketball operations,” — Jesse Buss, alternate governor
Why It Matters
The Buss brothers’ entry into MLB ownership diversifies their sports-investment portfolio and places them opposite the Dodgers, owned by Mark Walter. Their involvement could shape the Padres’ talent evaluation and planning as the team pursues its first World Series title. The ongoing Lakers family dispute may also affect future NBA governance decisions.
What’s Next
The Padres are competing for a National League wild-card spot, aiming for a third consecutive postseason appearance. The Buss brothers’ advisory role begins immediately, and Jeanie Buss’s legal challenge is expected to be resolved in the coming months.
