Family feud sparks battle for control of San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres are facing a family fight for team control. On Monday, Jan. 6, Sheel Seidler, the widow of former owner Peter Seidler, filed a lawsuit against Seidler’s brothers, seeking to ensure what she calls “the vision Peter and I shared for the team.”

In the lawsuit –– filed in the state of Texas, where Peter and Sheel own a residence –– Sheel Seidler is attempting to wrest control from Bob and Matt Seidler, accusing them of “breaches of fiduciary duty and fraud” as trustees that control the franchise.

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In a statement posted on social media, Sheel Seidler added, “As the holder of the largest individual ownership stake in the San Diego Padres, and the sole beneficiary of the Seidler Trusts, which possess exclusive rights with respect to control of the franchise, I am seeking to be named the control person for the Padres.”

To @Padres fans, I want you to hear directly from me. Peter and I had a mission to bring championship baseball to San Diego. That remains my commitment to you. Read my full statement below. pic.twitter.com/YW605jZ0P8

— Sheel Seidler (@sheel_padres) January 6, 2025

The lawsuit also alleges that the brothers have “irreconcilable conflicts of interest” and sold the trust’s assets to themselves at “far-below-market prices” in an effort to gain control of the team.

Peter Seidler died in 2023 after a months-long illness and complications from cancer. An interim control person, Eric Kutsenda—a friend and business partner of Peter Seidler—has been running the franchise for the 13 months since his passing. Major League Baseball expects a new control person to be named by the start of spring training in late February.

A spokesperson for the Peter Seidler Trust said in a statement that the lawsuit is “without merit.” The spokesperson added, “Peter had a clear estate plan, that plan specifically named three of his nine siblings, with whom he had worked closely for many decades, as successor trustees of his trust and Peter himself prohibited Sheel from ever serving as trustee.”

The statement went on to declare that Sheel Seidler agreed she would not interfere with the process of choosing someone for that role.