Image Credit: SteveKC/Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

The Los Angeles Angels have played their home games at Angel Stadium of Anaheim since 1966, making it the fourth oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. That era could be coming to an end, however, after the Los Angeles Angels decided to opt out of their lease with the city of Anaheim earlier this week. As Angels owner Arte Moreno put it, the Los Angeles Angels are looking for a stadium that delivers a fan experience that Angel Stadium of Anaheim does not offer. This bad news follows Angels manager Mike Scioscia announcing he would not be returning to manage the team in 2019.

After the upcoming elections, Arte Moreno and the Los Angeles Angels’ front office plan to sit down with the city’s Mayor and city council to discuss the next move for the team. There were rumors that the Angels were exploring the idea of building a new baseball stadium in the cities of Los Angeles, Irvine, Carson, or Tustin. The Los Angeles Angels will have the option of leaving Anaheim after the 2019 Major League Baseball season. But where would they play?

This news came as somewhat of a shock to Orange County residents. During previous seasons, the Los Angeles Angels spent millions of dollars upgrading Angel Stadium of Anaheim in an effort to make it more modern. Owner Arte Moreno also said in 2017 that the Los Angeles Angels would likely play at Angel Stadium of Anaheim through the 2028 Major League Baseball season. Attendance has not been a problem for the team at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. For the last 16 seasons, the Angels have managed to bring more than 3 million fans through the stadium gates despite making the MLB playoffs only once in the last 9 seasons.

Arte Moreno hasn’t always been the perfect owner in the eyes of Los Angeles Angels fans, either. In 2005, he removed “Anaheim” from the team’s primary name and designated them the “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim”. In 2016, “Anaheim” was dropped from the team’s name completely. Moreno purchased the Los Angeles Angels for $184M in 2003. The team is now valuated at $1.84B; similar figures to what Jeffrey Loria spent and received as owner of the Miami Marlins.

The current site of Angel Stadium of Anaheim has deep historical significance as the former site of Orange County’s famous orange groves and will become occupied very quickly if Angel Stadium is demolished. The property is valuated at more than $300M and is located in close proximity to Disneyland and the Honda Center, home of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.

 

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