The widow of San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler sued his two brothers on Monday as he seeks control of the club.
Sheel Kamal Seidler filed a lawsuit in Texas federal court claiming that he and his three children have been “ostracized” by the Padres since the death of Peter Seidler in November 2023.
He went on to say that brothers Bob and Matt Seidler, the trustees of the Seidler trust, conspired to sell themselves at “the lowest market prices” when they abandoned their fiduciary duties.
According to Sheel Seidler, Peter Seidler before his death said that his wish was to manage the Padres, followed by their children. Sheel Seidler said she and her children have a large ownership stake.
“They (the brothers) are trying to extinguish the vision and inheritance of Peter,” the complaint said, “and to falsely pretend to be the true heirs of Peter.”
Among other things she was accused of, she said Robert and Matthew Seidler worked to exclude her from events honoring her late husband and “made it clear” that she and her children were not welcome in the owner’s box at Petco Park.
The brothers “not only defied the express terms and purpose of the will and trust established by Peter, but also deliberately planned to take the inheritance and the rights and property of the Seidler trust,” the complaint states. “They did that by misleading Sheel, making conflicting claims and doing bad things of their own accord, and when Sheel started expressing concern and questioning their actions, they responded by defaming him and trying to intimidate him — including using trust assets to pay off lawyers to intimidate him into submission and silence.”
Once a low-spending small-market team in the shadow of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres threw their financial weight into the final years of Peter Seidler’s life. Forbes’ team value grew to $1.78 billion last year, ranking it 17th in Major League Baseball.
However, the team cut its salary in 2024 after its media contract fell through with the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group. But the Padres still played against a contending team, winning 93 games and making the postseason.
–Field Level Media