Kroenke Adds Angels to Sports Empire

Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE), the holding company led by Stan Kroenke, announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Angels from Arte Moreno. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to customary closing conditions and approval by Major League Baseball, according to a joint press release from KSE and the Angels. A purchase price was not disclosed.

Kroenke, who already owns the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, Major League Soccer's Colorado Rapids, and Arsenal of the English Premier League, will add a Major League Baseball franchise to his portfolio. He also owns SoFi Stadium and the surrounding Hollywood Park campus in Inglewood.

"The Angels are a storied franchise anchored in a great market," Kroenke said in a statement. "We look forward to an exciting future with the Angels organization."

The deal ends Moreno's 23-year tenure as owner, which began when he purchased the team from the Walt Disney Company in 2003, shortly after the Angels won their only World Series championship. Moreno, an outdoor advertising magnate from Arizona, became MLB's first Latino owner.

A Tumultuous Tenure

During Moreno's ownership, the Angels experienced early success, winning the American League West five times from 2004 to 2009 and drawing at least three million fans every year from 2003 to 2019. However, the team has not won a playoff game since 2009 and has not reached the postseason since 2014. The Angels are currently headed toward their 11th consecutive losing season and 12th consecutive non-playoff season, the longest active streaks in the majors.

The team's struggles have often been attributed to Moreno's involvement in personnel decisions, with the Angels spending aggressively on high-profile free agents who often failed to meet expectations, according to multiple reports. The team also faced off-field issues during his tenure, including the drug-related death of pitcher Tyler Skaggs.

Fans have expressed frustration, with crowds at Angel Stadium this season regularly chanting "Sell the team!" Moreno publicly explored a sale in 2022 but pulled the team off the market in early 2023.

Mike Trout, a three-time AL MVP, and Shohei Ohtani, a two-time AL MVP, played together for six straight seasons without a playoff appearance, with the team making the postseason just once during Trout's career.

Statements from Both Sides

Moreno issued a statement welcoming the new ownership.

"The Angels Organization is pleased to announce this transaction with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment," he said. "The Moreno Family has been honored to steward the Angels for 23 years and we believe with KSE's experience and success they are the best next owner for the franchise."

He added: "The Angels Organization looks forward to continuing its commitment to the fans, our employees, the players and our business partners."

Context and Valuation

The Angels were ranked by Forbes in March as MLB's 11th most valuable franchise at $2.8 billion. The Los Angeles Times reported that the price tag was an MLB record, exceeding the $3.9 billion the San Diego Padres recently sold for, though this figure was not confirmed by the teams.

Kroenke, 79, is ranked 12th among the world's richest sports team owners in 2026 by Forbes and holds the 114th spot on the magazine's overall billionaire list. His wife, Ann Walton Kroenke, is an heir to the Walmart fortune.

Earlier this year, the Angels named Molly Jolly team president, who fired general manager Perry Minasian and replaced him on an interim basis with John Mozeliak, who was brought in as a consultant with free rein to shape the front office, as reported by ESPN.