Joey Buss Discusses Family Motive Behind Padres Ownership

Joey Buss and Jesse Buss have revealed that their motivation to become minority owners in the San Diego Padres stems from their childhood experiences and their father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss. Following their inclusion in the Padres’ ownership group led by Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano, Joey Buss shared an article from the L.A. Times dated October 1989, which quoted their father expressing interest in purchasing the Padres after the then-owner Joan Kroc announced the sale of the team. Jerry Buss stated, 'I probably will make a call [today] and throw my hat in the ring.' Ultimately, he did not acquire the team, as Tom Werner led a group of investors to buy the franchise for $75 million in 1990. Over three decades later, the Buss family is set to take an ownership role, with Joey and Jesse Buss agreeing to purchase approximately 5% of the team. The Buss brothers, who grew up in San Diego County, expressed their excitement in a statement to The Athletic, stating, '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.' They emphasized the strong community of Padres fans and their commitment to enhancing that connection. The investment is being made through Buss Sports Capital, which was established in September 2025 after the Buss family sold the majority stake of the Lakers to Mark Walter. This announcement follows a recent decision by five Buss siblings to sell their remaining 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, who agreed to purchase the majority stake from Walter for a valuation of $12.5 billion. Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ current governor, did not support the sale and is contesting her siblings' decision through her lawyer, Adam Streisand.