Brothers Joey and Jesse Buss have acquired a roughly 5% ownership stake in the Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres through their company, Buss Sports Capital, amidst an ongoing dispute with their sister, Jeanie Buss, regarding the sale of the family's remaining shares in the Los Angeles Lakers. The deal makes them part of the ownership group led by new controlling owners Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano, who purchased the Padres for $3.9 billion and were unanimously approved by MLB owners on August 17.
Joey Buss stated that he and Jesse are honored to join the Padres' ownership and contribute to a team they have admired since childhood. He added that sports have always been central to their family's narrative and that strong organizations foster community. "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 said.
The acquisition comes as the Buss siblings are divided over the sale of their remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers. The family had previously sold a majority stake in the NBA team to Mark Walter last year, with Jeanie Buss retaining her role as governor. However, following an agreement for Walter to sell the franchise to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion, five of the siblings—Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse—voted to sell their remaining shares. Jeanie Buss has contested this decision, asserting it is null and void as she did not vote in favor of the sale.
The siblings who voted to sell have maintained their decision is in the best interest of the Lakers, their fans, and the Los Angeles community. Their statement indicated respect for Kushner and Iger, expressing confidence that they would uphold the franchise's legacy. "We have tremendous respect for Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and believe they understand what the Lakers represent to Los Angeles and our incredibly loyal fan base," the statement read.
Joey and Jesse Buss had previously worked for the Lakers before being dismissed by Jeanie Buss. Shortly after the family's sale of a majority stake to Mark Walter, they launched Buss Sports Capital in September 2025, announcing plans for strategic sports-related investments, including a potential stake in NBA Europe. They emphasized that Buss Sports Capital would not compete with their interests in the Lakers or the NBA.
