Padres Owners Brother Shutdown Relocation Rumors! Peter Seidler’s Brother Sets the Record Straight

The Seidler family drama continued on Tuesday when Peter Seidler’s brother, Matt, responded to a lawsuit that his sister-in-law, Sheel Seidler, filed in Texas regarding ownership of the San Diego Padres.

Matt Seidler’s letter emphasized that relocation of the franchise has not been discussed or considered.

“Sheel’s claims against Bob and me are entirely untrue, and we will vigorously defend ourselves against them,” Matt Seidler wrote in the letter. “That said, the false accusations in her complaint will not distract the Padres organization from continuing its great momentum on and off the field in San Diego.”

“This is completely false. It is also laughable — the San Diego fans are the best in baseball, and Petco Park is the best ballpark in MLB,” Matt Seidler added in his letter. He added in bold and underlined letters: “To clarify the record without ambiguity, relocating the Padres from San Diego has never been discussed or contemplated.”

Matt Seidler’s letter also added: “Peter had many conversations with Bob, John, and me regarding the Control Person role, including identifying those family members he considered to be potential candidates for this position, and consistently reaffirmed his confidence in each of us, if and when the time came for any of us to designate the Padres’ Control Person. Peter never mentioned Sheel as a potential candidate for Control Person to Bob, John, or me.”

Matt Seidler also stated that his late brother entrusted the decision of the franchise’s next permanent control person to his trustee. He clarified that he did not actively seek the role, but accepted it after Robert Seidler stepped down from the trustee position in May 2024 due to health concerns.

“Unfortunately, Sheel filed this lawsuit because, despite Peter’s contrary instructions, she wants to control the San Diego Padres franchise,” Matt Seidler wrote. “She may be disappointed that Peter did not designate her as the trustee of his trust, name her as the Padres’ Control Person, and/or give her the right to approve the Control Person.

“Had Peter intended any of these things, he could have easily made that intention clear in the governing documents, which he amended for other matters several times before and after he became Control Person in 2020.”

“Additionally, Peter’s trust agreement specifically excludes Sheel from ever serving as trustee and gives her no role or rights with respect to the Control Person designation. During Peter’s leadership of the Padres, he never chose to make Sheel an executive, director, officer, or employee of the Padres,” the letter said.

Matt Seidler also expressed feeling confused when Sheel Seidler asked to be nominated as control person last July.

“In fact, on May 30, 2024, she told me that she felt John would be the optimal Control Person for the Padres franchise to fulfill Peter’s vision,” Matt Seidler wrote. “Nevertheless, I considered Sheel’s request, and ultimately determined, consistent with Peter’s perspective, that she was not qualified.”

Sheel Seidler’s counsel rebutted this claim via email to The Athletic.