Stan Kroenke bought a controlling share of the Angels in a $4 billion deal that still needs MLB approval, giving the franchise a new owner while Arte Moreno keeps a small stake. The sale also includes the team-owned television and radio outlets, ABTV and AM 830.
Mike Trout learned the news on Tuesday, and his reaction fit a franchise that has spent years waiting for something to change. He said, “What a track record,” and added, “Wherever he buys, he wins.” In a short interview, he used the phrase “fresh start” four times.
That is why this deal landed with such force. Trout has spent 16 seasons under Moreno, and the Angels have baseball’s longest playoff drought. Fans have gone through 12 consecutive losing seasons, with chants of “Sell the Team!” regularly echoing around a game against the New York Yankees when resale tickets were listed for $5. For a club that has become a symbol of frustration, a controlling sale is more than a financial transaction; it is the first real reset in years.
The way the deal came together matters too. Molly Jolly said it was not run through a formal bidding process, but through face-to-face discussions between Kroenke and Moreno. She said the talks had not even started when she assumed the team presidency in April, though the possibility of a sale had “always stayed out there” after Moreno invited bids in 2022 and then decided not to sell. John Mozeliak said Moreno had already raised the possibility when he started his job in July. The message from inside the organization is clear: this was a private path to a public change.
The open question now is not who bought the Angels. It is what Kroenke does with them once MLB signs off and the customary closing conditions are cleared, which is not expected until early next year. The sale may bring a fresh start, but the club still has to show that a new owner can change more than the name on the paperwork.
