LOS ANGELES– Professional sports teams are being bought and sold like real estate in the Southland. In a stunning move, Artie Moreno is selling the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
The Angels were sold for a valuation of $4 billion, according to sources, beating the previous MLB record for a sale of $3.9 billion set by the Padres’ new owner earlier this year.
Kroenke is adding another professional sports franchise to his fleet. Everyone knows him primarily as the owner of the Los Angeles Rams, but his empire touches every corner of the sports world.
Kroenke’s purchase is for a “controlling interest” in the franchise and will be done through Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the Kroenke holding company that also owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the Colorado Rapids of MLS and Arsenal F.C. of the Premier League, according to a news release Tuesday, September 1.
“The Angels are a storied franchise anchored in a great market,” Kroenke wrote in a statement. “We look forward to an exciting future with the Angels organization.”
Moreno, the first Latino majority owner in MLB, purchased the Angels from The Walt Disney Co. in 2003, on the heels of their first and only World Series championship, and immediately brought excitement to the franchise by bringing in the likes of Vladimir Guerrero and Bartolo Colon, lowering beer prices and turning the Angels into more of a national brand.
However the Angels have made the playoffs only once since 2010, spoiling the prime years of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and have clinched their 11th consecutive losing season. In that time, Moreno has faced criticism for becoming too heavy-handed in baseball operations and not investing enough in the resources that would help the Angels keep up with other franchises throughout the industry.
Moreno’s troubles as an owner are the polar opposite of the 79-year old Kroenke. Everything the man touches turns to gold.
Kroenke brought the St. Louis Rams back home to Los Angeles, and was heavily involved with SoFi Stadium.
The Rams won Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, and the Nuggets were NBA champions for the 2022-23 season. As well, Arsenal won the English Premier League for the 2025-26 campaign, and the Avalanche were NHL champions for the 2021-22 season. That’s an exceptional level of success across four major sports leagues, all within the current decade.
With multiple losing seasons, and the Los Angeles Dodgers being in the midst of an historic dynasty, the Angels are in desperate need of change. Looking closer, the Angels are not far removed from the ball club that had a stretch that saw them top three million fans in 17 straight seasons coming out of their 2002 championship campaign and going into the COVID-compromised 2020 season.
Kroenke’s long reign atop the Rams — and his decision to relocate the franchise from St. Louis after the 2015 season — speaks to his extensive experience running a successful major franchise in the Los Angeles market.
Hopefully, Kroenke buying the Angels will give them wings to soar once again.
