The Los Angeles Angels’ biggest draw may not be Mike Trout or even the rotation led by Reid Detmers and Walbert Urena. The real prize is the one that helped bring Stan Kroenke into the picture in the first place: the team’s ability to pull in money, even when the on-field product has been rough.
That business side has long been a strange strength for the Angels. They’ve put some poor clubs on the field in recent years, yet they still draw more than 32,000 per game in paid attendance. The crowd numbers matter here in a bigger way than the empty-seat optics, because that revenue helped keep Arte Moreno afloat while the roster slid over the past decade.
This season, the Angels finished 13th in attendance. That was down from sixth in each of the previous two years, and that drop may have played a part in pushing the sale forward.
Kroenke saw the Los Angeles market as a major opportunity, and that’s where the real appeal lies. There are already rumors that his sports group is in talks with the city of Anaheim about buying and developing the land around Angels Stadium. That would fit the same playbook he used with the Los Angeles Rams, where the push to improve the team went hand in hand with turning SoFi Stadium into a multi-use area that keeps money flowing back into the operation.
That part of the Angels sale has not gotten nearly enough attention. Moreno tried something similar years ago, but the process became such a mess that it angered almost everyone involved. The mayor of Anaheim eventually resigned and later spent a couple of months in jail after an investigation into the proposed deal.
Kroenke’s approach is expected to be far cleaner, and that could matter quickly if it opens the door to more spending on the team. The front office picture still isn’t settled - the next GM and the budget remain unknowns - but there is at least a model for how this can work. Once the lockout is resolved, it could give Angels fans one of the best reasons to feel optimistic right now.
In Other News...
Angels Trade Is Looking Worse As Other Teams Cash In
The three-team deal that brought Josh Lowe to Anaheim already had a fragile feel to it, and the early returns have only sharpened the contrast. Los Angeles sent Gavin Lux to Tampa Bay and Brock Burke to Cincinnati as part of the swap, but it is Burke who has turned into the most immediate winner, giving the Reds a dependable arm in the middle of their bullpen while the Angels were left hoping Lowe could provide more impact than he has managed so far.
Lowes first season with the Angels did not give the trade much cover, with the outfielder struggling to produce the kind of offense the club needed from him. On the other side of the deal, Lux never got on the field for the Rays because of injury and is headed toward free agency, leaving the Angels end of the exchange without much to point to as the season has unfolded. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Pitching Overhaul Could Hinge On Three Very Different Bets
The Angels search for help on the mound has become one of the more important parts of their offseason, and the rotation is likely to look very different if they can get even one meaningful piece in place. With pitching still a glaring issue and the possibility of broader roster changes under new ownership, the club is casting a wide net at a market that offers three very different kinds of upside: a Japan-to-MLB transition with appeal, a Southern California arm with familiarity, and a former top starter trying to reset his value.
Each path comes with its own risk, which is why this pursuit feels so central to what the Angels are trying to build next. One target would bring international pedigree and a cleaner projection, another has recent performance that suggests real late-season form despite durability questions, and the third is the kind of name that could become available if the market stays cool enough. However it plays out, this is the kind of pitching decision that could shape the rest of the winter for a team that badly needs things to go right. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Linked To A Bold Infield Move Fans Will Notice
The Angels are already expected to spend part of their winter looking for ways to sharpen the middle infield, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. has surfaced as one of the more intriguing names tied to that search. His mix of athleticism and offensive upside would fit a club trying to add impact in a part of the roster that has long needed more certainty, and it is the kind of move that would immediately stand out to fans watching the Angels try to reshape the roster.
Chisholms situation is complicated by how the Yankees might rework their own infield, with second base and other spots all potentially in flux. Even so, the fit for Los Angeles is easy to see on paper: a talented, versatile infielder with enough upside to change the look of the lineup if the Angels decide to make a bolder move than usual this offseason. [Read more 🡒]