Everything the Angels did over the last six months was against the backdrop of Arte Moreno selling the team. Moreno has owned the club for two decades. And a sale was set to seismically shift a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2009.
The Angels had five potential bidders, with preliminary offers expected in mid-February, according to sources familiar with the negotiations who were not authorized to speak publicly. The team was expected to sell for well north of $2.5 billion, possibly even more than $3 billion.
But then, in the past few days, Moreno unexpectedly changed his mind. The Angels announced Monday that Moreno, 76, will no longer explore a sale of the team, after stating definitively in August that he was looking to sell. He pledged Monday to remain the owner for 2023 and beyond, despite the fact his children do not appear interested in inheriting the operations of the franchise.
His decision again makes him the focal point of a variety of decisions the Angels must face in the coming years, from the future of Shohei Ohtani to a potential land deal with the city of Anaheim, and much more.
“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,” Moreno said in a statement, adding that he “still want(s) to accomplish our goal of bringing a World Series championship back to our fans.
