Stan Kroenke’s arrival has Angels fans looking for a shortcut out of the mess and toward something sturdier. That hope comes with plenty of questions, though, especially as the franchise tries to reshape its front office, identify the right people, and finally push through a rebuild that has dragged on too long.
One useful way to understand what might come next is to look at how Kroenke has operated elsewhere. He has already built winning organizations across the major American sports landscape, plus one with Arsenal in the UK, and the Rams offer the clearest blueprint. They won the 2022 Super Bowl, and they did it after Kroenke took over a club that needed a reset from the top down.
Stank Kroenke became 100% owner of the Rams in August of 2010 with an openly stated goal of relocating the team back to the LA area. He inherited a roster loaded with veterans and Steve Spagnuolo as head coach. The next season brought Jeff Fisher, but the Rams still missed the playoffs all the way through the 2016 season.
That stretch of mediocrity pushed the organization into a full overhaul. The Kroenke group wiped the slate clean in the front office in a way that looks familiar to anyone watching Anaheim right now, and the move paid off quickly.
The first major step was hiring Les Snead as general manager. It wasn’t a splashy move, but it turned into a huge one. Snead arrived with 17 years of front office experience, including 14 years as a scout and three years as the Atlanta Falcons’ Director of Player Personnel.
In that role, Snead handled both college and pro scouting. He helped build rosters that won 43 games over four years, made the playoffs three times, and created a steady winning environment. He learned under Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay, and that background mattered.
With that foundation, Snead developed into the kind of GM who could manage salaries, evaluate talent, and make the kind of high-level decisions that shape a contender. He then hired Sean McVay, added quality players, and helped turn the Rams into a regular playoff team that captured a Vince Lombardi trophy.
That path should sound familiar in Anaheim. Randy Flores fits a similar mold, having built his executive reputation through talent evaluation, scouting, and eventually running the St.
Louis Cardinals’ scouting department. Like Snead, his calling card is an eye for players, not just a résumé built around administration.
Kroenke’s other major trait is that he keeps his distance. He doesn’t chase the spotlight, and he tends to let his people run their departments. He hires the leadership, backs them, and doesn’t get in the way.
"I think one of Kroenke’s biggest strengths with the Rams is that he’s allowed the football people to make the football decisions and do their jobs'" explained Grisak. "This can come off as if he’s too hands off, but he’s not an overly involved owner like Jerry Jones."
That naturally brings up comparisons to Jerry Jones and to how Arte Moreno ran the Angels. Jones is known for wanting control and attention. Moreno, meanwhile, became known for blocking trades that might have helped the Angels and spending heavily on older veterans when other needs were more urgent.
Kroenke is not totally detached, though. He’s available, and he’ll weigh in when needed. The difference is that he usually prefers to trust the people he put in place.
"He’s consulted on big moves, but he trusts those in diversion-making positions to do their jobs," says Grisak.
There is one area where Grisak sees a real misstep in Kroenke’s track record: the Rams’ move from St. Louis to Los Angeles.
The way that relocation was handled left a bad taste in St. Louis, where the backlash still runs deep.
"His biggest mistake, from simply a communication stand point, was the relocation from St. Louis to Los Angeles," stated Rams expert Blaine Grisak.
"I won’t get too much into it, but there’s a reason the city of St. Louis sued Kroenke and won a large settlement."
That matters because Angels fans are already wondering what Kroenke might do with the current setup at Angels Stadium. There is no guarantee he keeps things exactly where they are. He’s a real estate developer by nature, owns a lot that could house a stadium in Inglewood, and has the resources to buy another site if he wants one.
For now, a move out of Anaheim appears unlikely. But if that ever changes, transparency probably won’t be part of the process.
What stands out most across Kroenke’s sports empire is the winning. Every major franchise under the Kroenke Sports and Entertainment Group has won a championship and spent years in contention. The Colorado Avalanche are considered one of the best-run teams in the NHL, and the Denver Nuggets have a title too.
The Rams fit right into that pattern. Since the front office reset, they’ve won a title and reached the playoffs in seven seasons. Grisak believes Angels fans can expect something similar in spirit: an owner who wants results, but doesn’t need to dominate the stage.
"I think they can expect an owner who will expect good results, but remain in the shadows," said Grisak. "It isn’t a coincidence that Arsenal, the Rams, Nuggets, and Avalanche are all among the most competitive teams in their leagues and playing for trophies. Thats someone who understands how to get the best out of the people he hires."
That kind of stability matters, especially for free agents. And the perception around the Angels is already starting to shift, with the prize of this year’s class, Tarik Skubal, saying players are noticing.
If Grisak’s read proves correct, Angels fans may be at the start of something much bigger than a simple ownership change. The promise is hard to ignore: seven playoff appearances in nine years, one title, and multiple postseason wins is the kind of run any fan base would take in a heartbeat.
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