The Padres will soon have a new owner, as billionaire José E. Feliciano is reportedly close to acquiring the franchise. San Diego will be watching him closely. He has a lot to live up to.

Back in November, the current ownership group led by late owner Peter Seidler’s brother, John, announced the family would begin the process of selling the team. Just five months later, Feliciano has reportedly outbid three other billionaires to secure ownership of the franchise. The final sale price will be $3.9 billion, shattering the previous MLB record. If the deal goes through as expected, Feliciano will be compelled to match not only the price tag, but also the commitment San Diego’s fans have made over the last decade.

When Peter Seidler took over as the team’s chairman and primary owner in November 2020, he set about rebuilding the franchise into one that could compete at the highest level of baseball. He spent lavishly, locking up players to massive contracts and blowing past the luxury tax threshold, while also investing in the San Diego community and openly proclaiming that turning a profit wasn’t his goal. The Padres followed by having the most successful sustained stretch in their history, reaching the postseason in four of the last six years. Seidler’s driving ambition was to deliver San Diego its first major sports championship. The team’s fans responded by matching his passion.

A better product on the field led to a packed Petco Park. The Padres have finished in the top five of attendance in each of the past five seasons, culminating in an remarkable 2025 campaign when the team sold out 72 of its 81 home games and welcomed a record 3.47 million fans through their gates. San Diego finished second in attendance last season, behind only the World Series champion Dodgers.

Seidler’s investment paid off. In 2025, the Padres reportedly generated around $500 million in revenue despite a relatively disadvantageous television deal. Unfortunately, Seidler never got to see it. He died in November 2023 at the age of 63 from an infection related to a compromised immune system following multiple battles with cancer. The Padres have played in his memory, and the team’s supporters have carried his goal with them.

That kind of fan support deserves another owner willing to invest not only in the team, but also in the city. John Seidler and the rest of the ownership group were never going to be those people. To their credit, they seem to know that.

Peter Seidler had a boundless passion for the Padres. His brother John has never quite shared it, at least not publicly. The ownership group purchased the team for a reported $800 million in 2012 and is selling for $3.9 billion. Cashing out now makes sense. There’s an enormous “but” coming.

Feliciano has to know what he’s getting into by following in Seidler’s footsteps. Padres fans are far more active than they once were and have proven their commitment for years. The team’s new owner needs to be genuinely invested and ready to finish what Peter Seidler started. Feliciano doesn’t just owe that to his memory. He owes it to every fan who’s packed Petco Park believing San Diego was finally on the precipice of its first World Series title.

The Padres’ new owner isn’t a stranger to sports franchise ownership. Feliciano is the co-founder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital, which was part of a consortium that purchased Chelsea FC in 2022 for roughly $5.25 billion. Despite a heavy financial investment to the roster, the results in London have ultimately failed to meet the competitive standard established by the previous regime.

From Feliciano’s viewpoint, the upside of purchasing the Padres isn’t hard to see. Petco Park is one of baseball’s premier venues and boasts an atmosphere that rivals any in American sports. The team’s TV deal should improve dramatically with MLB’s next collective bargaining agreement. Then there’s the location. San Diego is one of America’s crown-jewel cities, and its eighth-largest by population. The weather is perfect year-round, the fanbase is passionate and the market has proven it will show up for a quality product. There’s only one thing missing.

Feliciano has won the bidding war for the Padres. Now comes the hard part. He must be passionately invested in delivering a long-awaited World Series championship to San Diego. This franchise carries too much potential to be a billionaire’s vanity project. Peter Seidler proved that when he put his all into making that happen, and the city showed up for him.

Now it’s Feliciano’s turn to show up for the city.

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A 37-year-old Carlsbad woman found dead along a hiking trail in Big Sur is being remembered by friends and family, as the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the case.

Authorities say the death of Joanna Shields is considered suspicious, but not a homicide. Investigators also say there is no danger to the community related to the case.

Shields, a former brand ambassador for Evolve Skateboard in Oceanside, was described by those who knew her as energetic and deeply connected to her community.

Brandon Devroede, operations manager at Evolve Skateboard, said the news of her death has been difficult to process.

“Shocking, surprising, something none of us would have expected, nothing we would have hoped to happen to anybody especially not her,” said Devroede.

Devroede said Shields made a lasting impact through her passion for skateboarding and her relationships with others. “Joanna was not just a friend to all of us here. She was a big part of the community. Her skating hobby and her life revolved around that, which is what so many people knew of her. She was an awesome coworker of ours, helped so many not just customers but made friends that way. This just became her family and you know, we’ll definitely miss that.”

Shields’ family, who owns Vinaka Café in Carlsbad, shared their grief in a post on Instagram. “Our family is grieving the loss our of youngest. She was a bright soul in our community and will be missed by so many.”

According to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, what were initially believed to be ligature marks on Shields’ neck were actually a trail of ant bites, not signs of strangulation. A sheriff’s commander also said there is no information supporting earlier reports of a skull fracture.

For those who knew Shields, the uncertainty surrounding her death has only added to the heartbreak. “I don’t think there are any words that can describe what happened, even though we may not know that happened, I think we just want to know the truth of what happened but at same time we never expected this and wish we could reverse that,” Devroede said.

Investigators are waiting for toxicology results from a state forensics lab to determine the cause of death — a process that could take six to eight weeks. The investigation remains open.

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This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.

Guard BJ Davis is transferring from the San Diego State Aztecs  to the Creighton Blue Jays. 

Davis was the first Aztecs player whose plans to transfer became public after the Aztecs failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six seasons.

Davis made a buzzer-beating layup to beat New Mexico in the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament, but the Aztecs lost the championship game to Utah State and were snubbed by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee for an at-large berth because of a weak resume.

He is the fourth of the six Aztecs players in the portal to find a new home. Wing Miles Byrd committed to Providence, forward Pharoh Compton signed with Oregon and Magoon Gwath landed at DePaul. 

That leaves forward Miles Heide and guard Taj DeGourville looking for new homes via the portal. 

What this means in the big picture

In an interesting twist, Davis, Gwath and Byrd will play against each other in the Big East. 

Only Creighton finished in the top half of the Big East last season, at 9-11 in conference and 16-18 overall. DePaul was 8-12 and 16-16, while Providence finished 7-13 and 15-18. 

Creighton lost to Seton Hall in the Big East tournament quarterfinals and then played in The Crown, where it beat Rutgers and lost to West Valley.

The Aztecs, meanwhile, have landed Rice guard Nick Anderson and Sacramento State forward Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry.

Who is BJ Davis?

Davis just finished his junior season. He came to SDSU from Modesto Christian High, where he was a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports.com. At the time of his signing, he was the No. 122 recruit nationally, the No. 17 point guard and No. 18 overall in California. He picked SDSU over schools like Boise State, Wyoming, Fresno State and Washington State. 

Why Davis was important to the Aztecs

Davis was one of five players who played in all 33 games for the Aztecs and was the leader of the No. 2-ranked scoring bench in the nation. His role was important enough that he was named All-MW honorable mention.

He was second in scoring at 10.8 points per game, third in minutes at 22.2, fifth in assists at 2.2 and second in steals at 1.1.

Davis became a key player off the bench early in the season. At one point he was the team’s leading scorer despite not having made a start, and scored in double figures for seven straight games early on. 

He was moved into the starting lineup for seven straight games midway through the Mountain West schedule when injuries sidelined freshman guard Elzie Harrington and forward Magoon Gwath. 

He finished the season as an important bench player. 

Davis’ big moments

Davis is perhaps best remembered for his steal and 3-pointer that sent a home game against Boise State into a second overtime on Jan. 3. The Aztecs ended up winning 110-107 in three overtimes after blowing a 24-point lead during regulation. 

Davis finished the regular season on a high note by scoring a career high 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point line, in a home win against UNLV on March 6.

He then beat the Lobos with a layup in the closing seconds of the MW tourney semis.