the San Diego Padres They are in the middle of a custody battle.
Sheil Kemal Seidler, the widow of the deceased team owner Peter SeidlerHe filed a lawsuit against his two brothers in an attempt to control the team.
The widow alleged in her complaint that Peter, before his death, had disclosed his dying wish to control the Padres, followed by their children, and that her children had the largest ownership stake. She adds that Peter's brothers, Matt and Bob, “are trying to erase Peter's vision and legacy, as well as falsely portray themselves as Peter's true heirs.”
The suit also alleges that Pope's wife made several “racist, lewd and hateful communications directed at Sheil – a woman of Indian descent – in communications.”
The widow issued a statement addressing 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 speak 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 alleges allegations against Matthew and Robert for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. I would urge anyone interested in the details to read the entire complaint. This was not a decision I made lightly. During this difficult time, I did my best to avoid unwanted distractions and resolve the issue.” Privately, I have been focused on supporting the work of the many dedicated professionals within the Padres organization, as well as the great players we have the privilege of watching almost every day throughout the season.
“I made this decision as a last resort, but I am confident it is the right decision and the best way to protect the Padres franchise and ensure the continuity of the vision that Peter and I shared for the team.”
Matt released a statement Via SporticoClaiming that Schell's allegations were “baseless.”
“The complaint filed by Shel Seidler, Peter Seidler’s widow, is completely baseless,” Seidler said. “Peter had a clear plan for the estate. The plan specifically designated three of his nine brothers, with whom he had worked closely for several decades, as successor trustees of his trust, and Peter himself prohibited Schell from serving as trustee at all.”
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San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, left, is suspended by teammates after he protested with umpires when objects were thrown at him on the field during the seventh inning in Game 2 of baseball's NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrell)
Peter died in November 2023 at the age of 63. He had been sick for months, although it was never revealed what exactly he was dealing with. Seidler is Cancer survivor Who have 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, which was 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 transitioned the role of chairman to Seidler in 2020, and Seidler then purchased part From Fowler's stake in the organization to becoming the team's largest stakeholder.
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San Diego Padres owner Peter Seidler looks on before the MLB World Tour Mexico City Series between the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants at Alfredo Harp Hilo Stadium on April 29, 2023 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Sean M. Havey/Getty Images)
Before his death, he dealt a series of high-cost contracts to star players in an attempt to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West division and win the World Series.
These contracts include the $350 million Manny Machado deal, the $340 million Fernando Tatis Jr. deal, the $280 million Xander Bogaerts deal, and the $108 million Yu Darvish deal.
The athlete It was reported in November 2023 that the team had taken out a $50 loan to help pay for the contracts.
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