Major League Baseball owners gave their blessing on the sale of the San Diego Padres by majority owner John Moores to a group headed by the sons and nephews of Peter O’Malley, golfer Phil Mickelson, and local businessman Ron Fowler, who will serve as the control person for the group, the Padres announced.
Fowler, who was part of the group that acquired the Padres in 2009 in a phased transaction, represented the group before MLB owners at their meeting last week in Denver. In a statement from the Padres, Fowler thanked Padre fans for their patience as the deal awaits final closing, “which will occur on or before Aug. 31.”
Fowler is the chief executive of Liquid Investments, a San Diego beer distributor. He headed up two Super Bowl committees, was a member of a citizens task force that advocated constructing Petco Park.
The price the O’Malley group is paying Moores is a reported $800 million, including $200 million coming from a down payment by Fox Sports San Diego for the 20-year broadcasting rights to the team’s games.
The O’Malleys include Peter, the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, his two sons, Brian and Kevin, and two nephews, Tom and Peter Seidler.