Kwanza Jones Becomes First Black Woman to Own MLB Team in Record-Breaking $3.9 Billion Padres Sale

From Unanswered Emails to a Historic $20 Million Gift

According to reports regarding the podcast interview, Jones initially reached out to Princeton to offer financial support for a key campus initiative, only to encounter silence from the administration. “Nobody replied to me,” Jones recalled, noting that she followed up multiple times over the course of several months without receiving a response.

The dynamic shifted entirely after Jones and her husband and business partner, José E. Feliciano—a 1994 alumnus of the university—made a $20 million donation to the institution in 2020. University records and statements indicate that the contribution stands as the largest gift Princeton has ever received from Black and Latino donors. The funds were designated to expand undergraduate access and inclusivity, supporting students from diverse backgrounds alongside the construction of two campus residence halls named in honor of Jones and Feliciano.

When questioned about whether the substantial contribution finally secured the institution’s attention, Jones stated plainly, “So, $20 million just to get a reply.” She added that university officials subsequently asked her how they could identify more donors matching their profile, to which she replied that the school had “missed a lot” and remarked that “we’ve been right here, you just didn’t see us.”

Stepping Into Major League Baseball Ownership

That high-profile philanthropic milestone coincides with an even larger sports business transaction. Earlier in the month, Jones and Feliciano received formal approval to acquire the San Diego Padres, making Jones the first Black woman to own a Major League Baseball team.

Reporting from Yahoo Sports valued the transaction at 39亿美元, marking the largest team sale in Major League Baseball history. Under the governance structure of the league, Feliciano serves as the designated controlling person for the Padres, while working alongside Jones to lead the ownership group. Major League Baseball officials stated that the couple intends to apply their shared business experience and long-term strategic vision to the club’s operations.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. addressed the acquisition in an official statement. “José and Kwanza understand the unique position of the Padres in San Diego and the powerful bond between this club and its fans,” Manfred said. “We look forward to their leadership of the Padres and to working with them to continue building upon the solid foundation the club has established in this critically important Major League Baseball market.”