*Photo from the Los Angeles Times*
It appears the front office has had a change of heart after all. After initially exploring a sale of the team, Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno will no longer pursue a sale, according to a statement released by the Angels.
Moreno said in the statement that "During this process, it became clear that we have unfinished business and feel we can make a positive impact on the future of the team and the fan experience. This offseason, we committed to a franchise-record player payroll and still want to accomplish our goal of bringing a World Series championship back to our fans. We are excited about this next chapter of Angels baseball."
During the regular season, the 76 year old Moreno began the formal process of the exploratory process of selling the team. Despite plenty of interest from multiple potential buyers, Moreno is now ending that process and is retaining ownership beyond 2023.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement that "Despite strong buyer interest in the Angels, Arte Moreno's love of the game is most important to him. I am very pleased that the Moreno family has decided to continue owning the team."
After the Angels won the World Series in 2002, Moreno purchased the team in May 2003 from the Walt Disney Company. The purchase was estimated at $180 million, and Forbes estimated the cost of the Angels at $2.2 billion in 2022.
Moreno said in the same statement that "We are grateful to Galatioto Sports Partners for their outstanding efforts throughout the process that allowed us to meet with a number of highly qualified individuals and groups who expressed strong interest in the club. However, as discussions advanced and began to crystallize, we realized our hearts remain with the Angels, and we are not ready to part ways with the fans, players and our employees."
Comments
Post a Comment