AI Summary
5 min read"Goodbye, goodbye, Arnie." That rhythmic chant from Angels fans at the Big A last night—directed at outgoing owner Arte Moreno—captures the mood of a fanbase that feels liberated. After years of futility, the Los Angeles Angels are being sold to Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of the Rams, Nuggets, and Avalanche, for a record $4 billion. The deal is expected to close in early 2027, pending MLB approval. But the central question Ben Maller poses is straightforward: How much better off are the Angels today, simply because one rich guy is replacing another?
From Greyhound Bus to Gulfstream Jet
Maller frames the ownership change as a dramatic upgrade in competence and ambition. "To go from Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke," he says, "it's kind of like going from a 1970s Greyhound bus to a Gulfstream jet." Kroenke, worth roughly $24 billion, is described as a shrewd introvert who lets his money do the talking. He built SoFi Stadium for the Rams largely with his own capital, and Maller expects a similar approach with the Angels: a major real estate play involving a new stadium development in Southern California, complete with apartments, hotels, and shopping centers. "Underneath the baseball romance," Maller notes, "this is the ultimate rich man's game when it comes to real estate."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (05:59) **Angels Sold to Stan Kroenke** - Ben Maller announces that Artie Moreno is selling the Angels to Rams owner Stan Kroenke for $4 billion, calling it the most valuable team sale in baseball history.
- 2 (13:09) **What the Future Holds for the Angels Under Kroenke** - Ben predicts Kroenke will skip a long rebuild and aim for contention within three years, given his age (79) and track record of winning championships with other teams.
- 3 (17:54) **Remembering the Artie Moreno Era** - Ben catalogs Moreno's worst moves, calling it the "Saddam touch" where everything baseball-related turned to disaster.
- 4 (21:16) **The T.J. Simers Story: Moreno's Thin Skin** - Ben tells his favorite story about Moreno's pettiness, involving a columnist who criticized the owner.
- 5 (30:52) **Caller: Andre on the Changing Ownership Landscape** - Caller Andre discusses the trend of ultra-wealthy owners like Kroenke and Steve Ballmer buying teams, contrasting them with old-school family ownership like the Maras and Rooneys.
- 6 (48:26) **Mike Trout Reacts to the Sale** - Ben plays audio of Mike Trout saying the sale was "needed" and that there's a "good vibe around the clubhouse."
- 7 (49:31) **Fans Chant "Goodbye" to Moreno** - Ben plays audio of Angels fans chanting "Goodbye, Artie" at the stadium, calling it a "rhythmic chanting" for the outgoing owner.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Ben Maller talks about Stan Kroenke buying a controlling interest in the Angels from Arte Moreno, what the future holds for the Angels under Stan Kroenke, how we are going to remember the Arte Moreno ownership of the Angels, and more!
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