Add The California Post on Google For Joey and Jesse Buss, the motive to become minority owners in the San Diego Padres dates back to when they were children.
And the motive involves their father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss.
In the aftermath of becoming part of the Padres’ ownership group led by new controlling owners Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano, Joey Buss posted on X for the first time in over four years, sharing an L.A. Times story from October 1989 about their father expressing interest in buying Padres after then-owner Joan Kroc announced she was selling the club.
“I probably will make a call [today] and throw my hat in the ring,” Jerry Buss said.
Jerry Buss ultimately didn’t acquire the Padres, with longtime television producer and current Red Sox chairman Tom Werner leading a group of investors to buy the franchise for $75 million in 1990.
But over three decades later, the Buss family will finally have an ownership role of the club once Joey and Jesse Buss’ agreement to purchase an ownership stake of around 5% becomes official.
The Buss brothers grew up in San Diego County, with their father having a home in Encinitas.
Joey Buss said in a statement to The Athletic: “We are honored to join Kwanza and José and have the opportunity to contribute to the future of a team that Jesse and I have loved since we were kids growing up in San Diego. Sports have always been a part of our family’s story, and great organizations have a unique ability to bring people together and create a lasting sense of community.
“Padres fans have built one of the most passionate and loyal communities in all of sports, and we believe there is a tremendous opportunity to deepen that connection in San Diego and around the world.
“The Padres are on the cusp of something special, and through Buss Sports Capital, we look forward to bringing our experience and perspective to the ownership group and doing our part to build on the strong foundation already in place.”
Joey and Jesse Buss are making the investment in the Padres through Buss Sports Capital, which they launched in September 2025 after the Buss family sold the majority stake of the Lakers to Mark Walter.
The news of their investment in the Padres came a week after five of the Buss siblings voted to sell their remaining 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to future franchise majority owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
Kushner and Iger agreed to purchase the majority ownership stake of the Lakers from Walter in mid-August for a historic valuation of $12.5 billion.
Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ current governor, didn’t vote in favor of the sale and is contesting her siblings’ decision through her lawyer, Adam Streisand.
