Peter Seidler’s Brother to Assume Control Of Padres One Year After Owner’s Death

Valentina Martinez | 6 Hours Ago

Oct 15, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler celebrates defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres will have a new control person before the 2025 season begins. John Seidler, brother of the late Peter Seidler, will assume the role.

The organization released a statement to The San Diego Union-Tribune regarding the new control person:

“It has been just over a year since we lost our Chairman Peter Seidler. He would be incredibly proud of the team’s grit and performance this past season but mostly grateful to the Padres fans whose loyalty and support inspired them.

“Since Peter’s passing, Eric Kutsenda has served as our interim control person. Peter’s youngest brother Matt, as trustee of Peter’s trust, is pleased to announce that John Seidler, Peter’s oldest sibling, an accomplished entrepreneur and business executive, will be the Padres’ next control person, pending approval by Major League Baseball.

“Peter never viewed the Padres as ‘his’ team. Instead, he saw the team as an asset of the community of which he was a faithful steward. John shares Peter’s vision and will continue to strengthen and nurture this great franchise, its players, fans and employees, and the entire San Diego community.”

John Seidler, 65, joined the Padres ownership group in 2012. He is a frequent visitor at Petco Park throughout the season. Though he has residences in both Orange County and San Diego, he spends most of his time in San Diego.

Peter Seidler's family, including his siblings, mother, widow and members of the O'Malley family, reportedly have a 45 percent stake in the team. The O'Malley family is related to former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley.

Eric Kutsenda became the organization's interim control person soon after Peter Seidler's death in November 2023. Kutsenda is a founding partner of Seidler Equity and was a friend/business partner of Peter Seidler since the 1990s.

Although Kutsenda won't be the franchise's control person any longer, he will have another role within the organization. The rest of the Padres' senior leadership, including president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, will remain the same.

John Seidler emerging as the team's control person isn't expected to come with many changes, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Before the death of Peter Seidler, the Padres were reportedly going to hold on to Juan Soto. But once the Padres owner passed, the pursuit of Soto fell through the cracks and he was traded to the New York Yankees. There is no indication the new control person will change the organization's desire to spend less money this season.

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