Rome, are the Friedkins also diving into Major League Baseball? Concrete interest in buying this team. All the details
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The match moves from the green lawn to the diamond. Two of the most influential owners of European football, active between Serie A and the Premier League, are ready to challenge each other for the acquisition of one of the jewels of the Major League Baseball (MLB). According to what was reported by the authoritative portal Sporty, Dan Friedkin e José E. Feliciano have expressed a concrete interest in purchasing the San Diego Padres.
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The Contenders: Expanding Sports Empires
On the one hand there is Dan Friedkinthe Texan tycoon president of Friedkin Group and owner ofAS Roma (where it has invested over one billion euros) and, from the end of 2024, also ofEverton. With a fortune estimated by Forbes at 10 billion dollars, Friedkin is consolidating his presence in global sport through his “Pursuit Sports” division, after also attempting to attack the Boston Celtics and an NHL franchise. On the other side there is José E. Felicianoco-founder of Clearlake Capital and key figure in the ownership of Chelsea. With assets of approximately 3.9 billion, Feliciano represents the other major financial force at play in a sale process which also involves Joe Lacobowner of the Golden State Warriors (NBA).
The figures and the context: a record deal?
The San Diego Padres represent a top-notch asset. Rated by Sporty circa 2.31 billion dollars (+14% compared to last year), the Padres are coming off an extraordinary 2025 season, with an attendance of 3.44 million spectators (second only to the Dodgers) and gross revenues of over 500 million. The sale could approach or surpass the record $2.42 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020.
The backstory: the family feud
The decision to put the franchise on the market arose from a complex legal matter within the family of the deceased owner Peter Seidlerwho passed away in 2023. His widow, Sheel Kamal Seidler, filed a lawsuit against his brothers-in-law for their management of the trust, inevitably leading to the liquidation of the main asset: the baseball team. For Friedkin and Feliciano, the purchase of the Padres would not just be an investment, but the confirmation of a strategy that sees the “masters of football” increasingly diversifying their portfolios in the rich US sports market.
