Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke has agreed to purchase controlling ownership of the Los Angeles Angels from Arte Moreno. The transaction, announced on Tuesday, is expected to become official in the first quarter of 2027 pending Major League Baseball approval.
The agreement brings an end to Arte Moreno’s 23-year tenure as the owner of the Angels. Moreno, an outdoor advertising magnate from Arizona, purchased the franchise from the Walt Disney Company in May 2003, becoming Major League Baseball’s first Latino majority owner. While his early years at the helm saw the club win five American League West titles between 2004 and 2009, the franchise has endured a prolonged period of decline.
Stan Kroenke Adds Major League Baseball to Sports Empire
With this latest acquisition, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment expands a portfolio that already spans multiple major professional leagues. The conglomerate’s holdings include the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids, the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth, and Premier League club Arsenal. Kroenke also owns SoFi Stadium and the surrounding 300-acre Hollywood Park district in Inglewood.
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed in the official announcement. However, reporting from the Los Angeles Times indicates the sale price is a record price for a Major League Baseball team, exceeding the $3.9 billion paid for the San Diego Padres earlier in the summer.
Kroenke added that his organization looks forward to an exciting future with the ballclub.
Decade of Frustration and Fan Discontent Under Moreno
The sale follows years of mounting scrutiny from fans directed at Moreno. The Angels are currently headed to their 11th consecutive losing season and their 12th consecutive non-playoff season, both the longest active streaks in the majors. The team hasn’t posted a winning record since 2015 and sat at a 53-85 record tied for the worst mark in the American League.
Throughout Moreno’s tenure, critics and fans pointed to his involvement in personnel decisions alongside high-profile, expensive roster acquisitions that failed to yield postseason success. Big-money contracts and signings for players such as Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, Anthony Rendon, and Gary Matthews Jr. largely failed to deliver anticipated returns. Meanwhile, Moreno has been criticized for skimping on infrastructure, resources and support staff throughout his organization.
Fan dissatisfaction boiled over at Angel Stadium during recent months, where attendees regularly chanted Sell the team!
and directed criticism specifically at Moreno.
“The Moreno Family has been honored to steward the Angels for 23 years and we believe with KSE’s experience and success they are the best next owner for the franchise. The Angels Organization looks forward to continuing its commitment to the fans, our employees, the players and our business partners.”
Arte Moreno, via official press release
Front Office Overhaul and Ongoing Questions in Anaheim
The ownership transition arrives while the Angels are already undergoing a significant structural transformation. Earlier in the year, long-serving club president John Carpino retired and was succeeded by Molly Jolly, while general manager Perry Minasian was dismissed in June. Former Cardinals GM John Mozeliak was brought in on a temporary basis as interim general manager, guiding the organization through the draft and a trade deadline that saw seven players moved.
Mozeliak’s contract expires in December, leaving the permanent leadership of the baseball operations department unsettled as the franchise prepares for a new ownership era.
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