NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Recent comments from Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno have angered the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Moreno was speaking to reporters Friday when he mentioned that “the number one thing fans want is affordability” to attend MLB season games, according to the Orange County Register.
But that wasn’t the worst part, as Moreno said: “Winning is not in their top five,” referring to data the organization sourced itself.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno prepares for a game against the Kansas City Royals at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 14, 2025. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)
“They want affordability,” Moreno told reporters. “They want safety and they want to have a good experience when they come to the stadium. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”
Bruce Meyer, the new head of the MLBPA after Tony Clark’s resignation, said “the players took note” of Moreno’s comments, as did the union.
“At the end of the day, players are competitors,” Meyer told The Athletic. “They grew up competing every day. They go out and do their best to win every game. And the players want to see their owners do the same thing.”
It can be difficult for players to hear that their owner isn’t focused on winning, especially those on the Angels roster like future Hall of Fame center fielder Mike Trout, who hasn’t seen postseason baseball since 2014.
In fact, this was the last season the Angels finished the regular season above .500 (98-64), where they ultimately lost in the ALDS. Since then, the best record the Angels have finished with was 85-77 in 2015.
It’s been tough for the AL West franchise despite years with Shohei Ohtani and Trout on the roster, although the latter suffered numerous injuries along the way.
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers during a baseball game Thursday, June 15, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)
Last season, Los Angeles finished 72-90 for last place in the division after going 63-99 the year before.
Given that the Angels have a large market on the West Coast, one might suspect them of being a contender every year and a popular destination. However, this has not been the case and the product has suffered in the win-loss column in recent seasons.
Across town, the Los Angeles Dodgers have become the franchise envied by fans and teams alike given their massive spending and use of deferred money to field an all-star roster that continues to improve with each passing year.
MLB STARS REACT TO DODGERS’ HUGE $400 MILLION SALARY FOR 2026 SEASON: ‘I LOVE IT’
“If you can’t run a successful operation in Los Angeles, it’s hard to see what the problem is,” Meyer said. “It’s easy to make excuses, but the Los Angeles Angels certainly have the resources to compete in all areas.
“To state that winning is not a priority, not even among the top five priorities, is truly remarkable.”
Moreno appears to be focused on how he can continue to put customers in the seats at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The team was 13th in MLB in total attendance last season (2,615,506).
“Moms make about 80 percent of the decisions,” Moreno continued. “They want to be able to bring their kids and be affordable, they want safety and they want to have a good experience, so they have access to all the entertainment or whatever. The purists, you know, it’s just a win.”
Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno reacts during the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium on May 10, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
Moreno, who is worth $5 billion according to Forbes, sees a payroll of about $188 million for the 2026 season, which ranks 15th in MLB. The franchise is also currently handling its TV rights, having left Main Street Sports Group.
“Will [payroll] go back to $200 million? Probably,” Moreno said. “We need to get our TV thing right and we just need to improve our brand.”
Related article
