Stan Kroenke buys Angels from Arte Moreno in massive MLB deal
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale breaks down Arte Moreno’s sale of the Los Angeles Angels to Stan Kroenke and what comes next for the franchise.
Mike Trout has been a company man throughout his 16 seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
But he also admits that it’s time for the franchise to get a “fresh start.”
With sports mogul Stan Kroenke striking a deal to purchase the team from longtime owner Arte Moreno for $4 billion, that’s exactly what the Angels will get.
Kroenke has a stellar track record with his ownership of NFL, NBA, NHL and English soccer franchises − one Angels fans hope will extend to a team that hasn’t won an MLB playoff game since 2009.
“It’s obviously been frustrating the last, I don’t know how many years it’s been,” Trout told reporters before Tuesday’s game. “But just to hear the news like this, I’m super excited to have this change.”
Moreno purchased the Angels in 2003 on the heels of the franchise winning its first-ever World Series.
But after an initial run of division titles, the Angels have only made the playoffs once since Trout made his MLB debut in 2011. This season, they have the worst record in the American League and are on pace to lose 100 games for the first time in franchise history.
The new ownership group will seek to change things when the takeover becomes official sometime next year.
“Seeing the reaction from the fans and some of the guys and the whole vibe, I think it was needed for a fresh start,” Trout said. “The biggest thing is getting that feeling of getting that winning culture back and having that vibe in the clubhouse.”