The Internet Loves The Padres New Owners

If first impressions mean anything, the new ownership group of the San Diego Padres knows how to make one. Kwanza Jones and her husband and business partner, José E. Feliciano, were officially introduced at Petco Park on August 24 after Major League Baseball unanimously approved the transfer of control of the franchise. The couple jointly leads the new ownership group, with Feliciano serving as the Padres’ MLB designated control person. But during their introductory press conference, it was Jones’ personality, confidence and seemingly endless supply of energy that quickly became the story.

Jones’ arrival is bigger than a few viral clips. She and Feliciano are the new majority owners of the Padres, making Jones the first Black woman to hold a majority ownership position in Major League Baseball. The group purchased the franchise at a reported $3.9 billion valuation, an MLB record that easily surpassed the $2.4 billion Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020. For a sport whose ownership ranks have historically lacked Black representation — particularly Black women — Jones stepping into one of baseball’s most powerful rooms carries significance well beyond San Diego.

Her road there was anything but traditional. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Washington, D.C., area by two lawyers, Jones grew up in a household where education, confidence and perseverance were heavily emphasized. She attended Princeton University, where she studied public and international affairs, ran the 800 meters as a Division 1 track athlete, sang in the gospel choir and co-founded an all-women a cappella group celebrating music by people of African descent. While still an undergraduate, she even won Amateur Night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater after performing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”

And somehow, that was only the beginning. Jones later earned her J.D. from Cardozo School of Law and a Master of Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law, taught cross-cultural negotiation at New York University and worked as a court-appointed mediator in New York City. She also built a music career that landed her on the Billboard charts and founded SUPERCHARGED, a media and personal development platform centered around motivating people to take action. Jones and Feliciano later launched the Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano Initiative, which has committed hundreds of millions of dollars toward education, entrepreneurship, equity and empowerment.

So when Jones walked into her first Padres press conference like she had been waiting her entire life for the moment. It probably should not have been surprising. Before she and Feliciano even entered the room, an original song recorded by Jones called “We All In” blasted through the speakers, complete with lyrics inspired in part by a recent Fernando Tatis Jr. highlight. Moments later, Jones raised her arms and emphatically told the room, “We gonna win. We gonna win! We gonna win it all!” The clips quickly spread online, with baseball fans reacting to an owner who sounded less like a corporate executive reading prepared remarks and more like somebody who genuinely could not wait for the season to start.

That enthusiasm also came with a message Padres fans wanted to hear: the new owners are not interested in shrinking expectations. Feliciano said plainly that they need to win the World Series, while Jones stressed that they are competitive and willing to invest. They stopped short of promising unlimited spending, with Feliciano emphasizing long-term financial health, but made it clear there will be moments when the organization gets aggressive. That matters in San Diego, where late owner Peter Seidler transformed the Padres from a historically conservative spender into an ambitious contender with stars, massive crowds and championship expectations. Jones and Feliciano have repeatedly said they want to build on that foundation rather than tear it down.

Jones also made it clear that she views ownership as more than simply owning an expensive sports asset. She spoke about a “double bottom line” — financial return alongside social and community impact — while Feliciano called sports an integral part of a city’s identity. That aligns with a philanthropic history that includes major gifts to Princeton, Bennett College, and the Apollo Theater, among other organizations. And when discussing how long they plan to own the Padres, Jones delivered another memorable line: “It’s patient capital, and there is no exit.” In other words, this was presented as something they want to build for generations, not flip when the valuation rises.

Of course, winning an introductory press conference is a lot easier than winning the Padres their first World Series. Eventually, Jones and Feliciano will be judged by payroll decisions, personnel moves, the organization’s relationship with its fans and, ultimately, what happens in October. But for now, it is easy to understand why their introduction struck a chord. Baseball ownership can often feel buttoned-up, distant and almost invisible. Kwanza Jones arrived with her own soundtrack, promised San Diego a championship and looked like she was having the time of her life doing it. The internet did the rest.

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See the internet’s reaction to the new owners below: