Kwanza Jones Claims Her Seat At The MLB Table
The San Diego Padres are set to enter a new era of ownership that will mark a historic first for Major League Baseball. The family of the late Peter Seidler announced a definitive agreement to sell the franchise to an investment group led by Kwanza Jones and her husband, José E. Feliciano. The deal, valued at a record-breaking $3.9 billion, would make Jones the first Black woman to hold a majority ownership stake in the league's history.
The transaction significantly surpasses the previous record for an MLB franchise sale, set in 2020 when Steve Cohen purchased the New York Mets for $2.4 billion. Alongside Jones, Feliciano is also poised to make history. As the co-founder of the private equity firm Clearlake Capital, he would become the second Latino majority owner in MLB and the first of Puerto Rican descent, following Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno.
In a joint statement, Jones and Feliciano emphasized their commitment to the San Diego community and the team's role as a unifying presence. The couple expressed a desire to build on the foundation established by the Seidler family, noting that their goal is to bring a World Series championship to the city while ensuring the team remains accessible to its fans.
Jones, a graduate of Princeton University, holds a law degree from Cardozo School of Law and a master’s in dispute resolution from Pepperdine University. Her career spans music, law, and philanthropy. She and Feliciano have donated more than $200 million toward education and equity initiatives. In 2023, Princeton University named two residence halls in their honor, marking the first time the institution named buildings after Black and Latino donors.
The sale must now undergo a formal approval process. A vote by the 30 MLB club owners is expected during the league’s quarterly meeting in June. The deal requires at least 22 affirmative votes to proceed. Following league approval, the transaction will face a Securities and Exchange Commission review and requires a sign-off from the City of San Diego due to its stake in Petco Park.
