The week before Opening Day, the San Diego Padres will take time to celebrate the life and legacy of Peter Seidler, who died late last year after a cancer diagnosis.
Celebrating the life of Peter Seidler
Seidler's celebration of life will take place at Petco Park on March 23 beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Seating for the event will be on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Padres. Parking will also be free of charge inside the Lexus Premier Lot, Tailgate Lot and Padres Parkade.
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The team will be wearing a "PS" jersey patch throughout the 2024 season. The first 10,000 fans in the gates for ceremony will receive a jersey patch of their own.
Fans who wanted to attend needed to reserve digital tickets by Sunday. The Tickets were free and available through the MLB Ballpark app.
Seidler passed away Nov. 14, 2023, at the age of 63. His desire to bring a World Series to San Diego and willingness to make bold financial investments in the team earned him the admiration of fans. Seidler also made a significant impact with his philanthropic work, particularly in service to San Diego's homeless population.
Seidler, a third-generation member of the O'Malley family that used to own the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, was a two-time cancer survivor. The team announced in mid-September that Seidler had an unspecified medical procedure in August and wouldn't be back at the ballpark the rest of the year.
Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres in 2012 and bought out Ron Fowler’s majority stake in November 2020. Seidler also bought Rawlings in conjunction with MLB in 2018.
It was with Seidler’s blessing that the Padres boosted their payroll to about $258 million on opening day, third-highest in the majors, after making a stirring run to the NL Championship Series the previous fall.
In 2022, his bold leadership resulted in the team’s third-ever trip to the NL Championship Series.
Seidler also helped Petco Park become one of the greatest destinations in baseball. His imprint on the city extended beyond the stadium’s gates. Seidler’s efforts to help the homeless are well documented. He worked with local leaders, and helped develop best practices in assisting vulnerable individuals throughout the city. The time and energy Seidler committed to the cause earned him numerous accolades, including 2022 San Diegan of the Year by the Union Tribune.
As a two-time survivor of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Seidler's philanthropic efforts have benefited organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Mayo Clinic and the Stand Up to Cancer Legacy Endowment Circle.
