SAN DIEGO -- New Padres owners Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano made their presence felt before they even entered the Petco Park auditorium for their introductory press conference on Monday.
The room was full. The speakers turned on. The music began -- a song Jones had written and recorded herself, parts of it even inspired by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s home run robbery last week in New York. The chorus:
You know we’re all in, you know we’re all in, you know we’re all in … We’re gonna win, we’re gonna win, we’re gonna win
As the song wrapped, Jones and Feliciano entered, smiling ear to ear, and spent the next 45 minutes answering various questions about their role as owners of the Padres. But the statement was clear from the very start.
“We are all in; it’s not lip service,” Jones said. “We are absolutely committed to this organization and we are absolutely overjoyed.”
It absolutely showed. As press conferences go, this one was full of energy from the start. Beginning with Jones’ entrance song, right through Feliciano donning his jersey with No. 21 on the back -- in honor of one of his baseball heroes, Roberto Clemente.
Ownership tenures are never judged by introductory press conferences, of course. But this was an impressive one, nonetheless. And it marked the culmination of a process that began last November.
The Seidler family announced late last year that they would explore a potential sale. That sale to the ownership group led by Jones and Feliciano was announced in May. The process was formalized Aug. 17, with a unanimous vote from the league, and the transaction was completed on Friday.
But Monday marked the true beginning.
“Today is a dream come true,” Feliciano said in his opening statement. “It’s an amazing day for us. We’re very grateful. Very honored to be here with you. And to celebrate today as now the newest members of the Padres family.”
Immediately, Feliciano turned his thanks to the Seidler family and specifically the legacy left by Peter Seidler, whose ownership laid the groundwork for the most successful era in Padres history. That’s the team Jones and Feliciano inherit -- a Padres team on the verge of a fifth straight winning season, aiming to reach a third straight postseason for the first time in franchise history.
“We are taking on this legacy at a great time,” Feliciano said. “But I think there’s always more that you can do. You can always leave the world a slightly better place than you found it. That’s our aim.”
Indeed. There is more to be done. The Padres remain in search of that elusive first World Series title. And their new owners left no doubt of their aims.
“We need to win the World Series,” Feliciano said. “It’s that simple.”
Jones, of course, had already made that much clear in her song. (She asked Feliciano for some vocals for the track. “My only musical talent is my name,” Feliciano joked, referencing the singer with the same name.) But Jones’ energy didn’t stop when the song ended. She brought it throughout the presser.
“You heard it,” Jones said, breaking out into a smile and raising her arms in the air as her voice grew louder. “We’re gonna win, we’re gonna win -- win it all.”
She paused for a second, then softened a bit.
“We hope it’s sooner rather than later.”
So … the ambitions are clear. Next come the actions. Both Jones and Feliciano made it clear they expect those actions to extend well beyond what happens on the field.
The Padres have deep charitable ties to the San Diego community -- ties that were deepened extensively under the ownership of Peter Seidler and the rest of the Seidler family.
Jones and Feliciano come with their own deep history of philanthropic work through the Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Initiative.
“Sports is just much more than a business,” Feliciano said. “Sports is an integral part of the community. And in this case, the Padres are one of the pillars of this city and this community. We’re looking forward to engaging in many ways.”
Feliciano specifically brought up the Padres Foundation and the work that can be done with an organization that has already done so much for the San Diego and Baja communities.
He and Jones were both clear about one thing: They think the Padres are already doing great work. They want to continue it. They want to expand it.
Jones specifically mentioned a “listening tour” she wanted to embark upon with CEO Erik Greupner to link up with various organizations in the city.
“It’s hard to imagine what we can do, without knowing what has already been done,” Jones said. “That’s why I want to be able to see where and how and what has been done within the area, within the region, where are there areas of needs?”
The duo never got the chance to meet Peter Seidler before the beloved Padres owner passed away in 2023. But they spoke deeply of his legacy and impact and wanting to continue it.
Both on and off the field. Feliciano went on to note similarities between their own journey and that of the San Diego Padres.
“Maybe people underestimate us,” he said. “People don’t think we’re capable of doing what we’ve done -- including winning the bid for the Padres. That motivates us. I see that same grit, that same resilience, that same will to overcome or surprise people that underestimate us. … This team doesn’t give up. This city doesn’t give up. And we won’t give up either.”
The press conference wrapped up, and the duo donned their jerseys at the dais in the auditorium. The tables and microphones had been removed. But Jones has a voice to command a room, so she held her jersey and made one request to the Padres fanbase.
“We need all of you all to be believers in the infinite possibility,” Jones said. “That’s what we need. … And that’s why we’re here.”