Amid the ongoing sale process of the San Diego Padres, it seems that the city government is trying to keep the team from relocating. Any time a team is sold, there is always a chance that the new owner could look to move the franchise elsewhere.
But if it’s up to the city of San Diego, the Padres will be staying put. Mayor Todd Gloria made that very clear in a recent memo in response to San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo.
“The city’s position, as it relates to keeping the team in San Diego, is grounded in strong, enforceable protections already in place under the Joint Use and Management Agreement (JUMA) and related agreements governing Petco Park. The JUMA requires that any new ownership group assume all existing Padres obligations. The JUMA explicitly prohibits relocation of the Padres outside of San Diego during the JUMA term, which extends at a minimum, through the conclusion of the 2031 Major League Baseball season,” Gloria wrote in his Feb. 10 response to Campillo. “This includes two five-year extension options exercisable by the Padres. These provisions collectively provide meaningful longterm stability for the franchise in San Diego.”…