The San Diego Padres are in the middle of a custody battle.
Sheel Kamal Seidler, the widow of the late team owner Peter Seidlerhas filed a lawsuit against his two brothers in an attempt to take control of the team.
The widow alleged in her complaint that Peter, before his death, revealed his dying wish that she would take control of the Padres, followed by their children, and that her children would have the majority share of the property. She adds that Peter’s two brothers, Matt and Bob, are “trying to erase Peter’s vision and legacy, falsely portraying themselves as Peter’s true heirs.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Bob’s wife made multiple “racist, profane and hateful statements directed toward Sheel, a woman of Indian descent, in communications.”
The widow published a statement about the complaint on social media.
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San Diego Padres Chairman Peter Seidler and President of Baseball Operations and General Manager AJ Preller talk during the San Diego Padres Fan Fest at PETCO Park on February 4, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images)
“The complaint concerns claims against Matthew and Robert for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. I would urge anyone interested in the details to read the full complaint. This was not a decision I made lightly. During this difficult period, I have done everything in my power to avoid unwanted distractions and resolve the matter privately. I have focused on supporting the work of the many dedicated professionals within the Padres organization, as well as the great players we play almost every season see day.
“I made this decision as a very last resort, but I am confident it is the right one and the best way to protect the Padres franchise and ensure that the vision Peter and I shared for the team will continue.”
Matt released a statement via Sportioclaiming that Sheel’s allegations are “baseless”.
“The complaint filed by Sheel Seidler, the widow of Peter Seidler, is completely without merit,” Seidler said. ‘Peter had a clear estate plan. The plan specifically named three of his nine siblings, with whom he had worked closely for decades, as successors to his trust, and Peter himself forbade Sheel from ever serving as trustee.”
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San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, left, is restrained by teammates after protesting with the umpires as objects were thrown at him in the outfield during the seventh inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday , October 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Peter died in November 2023 at the age of 63. He had been ill for months, although it was not revealed what exactly he was dealing with. Seidler is one cancer survivor who had had health problems for some time.
He said in July 2023 that the Padres would remain in his family for generations after his death.
Seidler was the founder of Seidler Equity Partners, a key part of the group that bought the Padres in 2012. Seidler’s uncle, also named Peter, and Ron Fowler were also part of the group.
The group’s name is derived from Seidler’s grandfather, Walter O’Malley, who owned the Dodgers from 1950, when they first moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, until 1979. Fowler turned over the role of chairman to Seidler in 2020, and then Seidler bought part of Fowler’s stake in the organization to become the team’s largest stakeholder.
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Peter Seidler, owner of the San Diego Padres, looks on prior to the MLB World Tour Mexico City Series between the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium on April 29, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Prior to his death, he handed out a series of expensive contracts to superstar players in an effort to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West division and win a World Series.
These contracts include Manny Machado’s $350 million deal, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million deal, Xander Bogaertz’s $280 million deal, and Yu Darvish’s $108 million deal.
The Athletics reported in November 2023 that the team had taken out a $50 loan to help pay for the costs of the contracts.
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