Fans flock to season tickets for a fourth straight year, proving their loyalty amidst the club's surprising financial tightrope.
The San Diego Padres have sold out season ticket memberships for the fourth consecutive season, according to Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The number of memberships sold in 2026 is reported to be a franchise record despite the prices rising from last year.
It’s an unsurprising moment for the Padres, who have been ranked in the top five for attendance since 2020. Last season, they drew in more fans than everybody in baseball aside from their division rival Los Angeles Dodgers.
The news of sold-out season ticket memberships comes as the Padres face financial struggles this offseason. The Siedler family even explored selling the franchise back in November, although no progress has been made on the front.
With the team already past the luxury tax threshold for the 2026 campaign, every dollar counts in San Diego. The sold-out memberships show a commitment from the fans yet again and a desire to see winning baseball in San Diego.
The commitment from the fans is there – they’ve done their part. Now it’s up to the front office of the Padres on how they approach the rest of the offseason. So far, they’ve brought in Korean infielder Sung Mun Song and re-signed starting pitcher Michael King, but there’s much more work to do if another 90-win season is the goal.
Because of the financial complications, general manager A.J. Preller will have to work his magic yet again to bail out the team. He’s done so via the trade market before, and he could use infielder Jake Cronenworth’s big contract to make a splash this offseason.
The priority for the Padres is additional starting pitching. With the current rotational depth looking extremely thin, San Diego needs another starter or two to comfortably return to real NL West contenders.
Perhaps the Padres are willing to double down on their spending habits, going further into the luxury tax hole by choosing to spend money in free agency to fill their holes. It’s something the fans would certainly approve of, as they’ve already done their part despite the increased prices. The fans have proven their commitment to the club, and they feel it's the front office’s time to reciprocate this offseason. It’ll be interesting to watch how the rest of teh offseaosn plays out in San Diego.