Widow of Former Padres Owner Files Lawsuit for Team Control
Sheel Kamal Seidler, the widow of late San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler, filed a lawsuit on Monday in a Texas probate court, seeking to gain control of the baseball team. The complaint, directed at Peter’s brothers Bob and Matt Seidler, accuses them of breaching fiduciary duties and conspiring to undervalue trust assets for personal gain.
Sheel claims she and her three children have been “effectively ostracized” from the Padres since Peter’s passing in November 2023. According to her, Peter had expressed a clear desire for her to assume control of the Padres, followed by their children. She states that her family holds the largest ownership stake in the team, but the brothers have sought to diminish their role and legacy.
The lawsuit alleges that Bob and Matt Seidler sold trust assets to themselves at “far-below-market prices” and excluded Sheel from events honoring Peter, as well as from the owner’s box at Petco Park. The filing further claims they used trust assets to intimidate her through legal threats. “They are trying to erase Peter’s vision and legacy,” Sheel said in the complaint.
A trust spokesperson dismissed the allegations as “entirely without merit,” asserting that Peter’s estate plan was clear and named three of his siblings as successor trustees. The spokesperson also pointed to a 2020 sworn agreement in which Sheel acknowledged she had no right to serve as, or designate, the team’s Control Person—a role essential for managing the Padres under MLB rules.
The spokesperson revealed that Peter’s eldest brother, John Seidler, has already been proposed as the team’s next Control Person, with the Padres filing the necessary application with Major League Baseball.
The lawsuit comes at a pivotal moment for the Padres. Once a small-market team overshadowed by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the club flourished under Peter Seidler’s leadership, making significant financial investments that boosted its Forbes valuation to $1.78 billion in 2023. However, the team faced challenges in 2024, including payroll cuts due to a failed media contract, yet still managed to win 93 games and secure a playoff spot.
The legal battle adds uncertainty to the future direction of a team that had been thriving under Peter Seidler’s vision.
