The Seidler family, having concluded the sale of the San Diego Padres, has issued bonuses to all team employees. This initiative, described as a final act of business before the ownership transfer, aimed to recognize the contributions of both full-time and part-time staff.
Employees were informed of the bonuses via email last week, following the completion of the ownership transfer on Monday to a group led by businessman Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones. The decision to award bonuses was orchestrated by former Padres chairman John Seidler.
"The success of this franchise has always been about people, and so many dedicated individuals have contributed to the growth and accomplishments of the Padres throughout our family’s stewardship," Seidler stated. "This bonus is a way for our ownership group to say thank you to the employees who helped make that success possible through their hard work, passion, and commitment to our organization and our community. We are deeply grateful for everything they have done and the role they have played in the Padres’ growth over the years."
The Seidler family first announced their intention to explore a sale of the team in November. The sale, valued at $3.9 billion, was officially announced in May and finalized on August 17 after receiving unanimous league approval.
New owners Feliciano and Jones held an introductory press conference at Petco Park on Monday. "We are all in. It’s not lip service… We are absolutely committed to this organization and we are absolutely overjoyed," Jones told reporters, expressing optimism for the team's future.