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Arte Moreno’s latest comments on what fans want raised eyebrows with the MLBPA.
Arte Moreno’s latest comments sent shockwaves across MLB. The Los Angeles Angels owner drew backlash for suggesting that fans don’t prioritize winning as a reason to attend ballgames.
“The number one thing fans want is affordability,” Moreno told reporters on February 20. “They want affordability. They want safety, and they want a good experience when they come to the ballpark. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”
Those remarks didn’t get lost on current and former Angels players. Former outfielder Kevin Pillar called out the Angels’ owner on the next Foul Territory episode. Pillar spoke fondly of the team as a destination for players but still urged Moreno to sell the team and move on.
“He needs to get rid of the team, because he really doesn’t care about the Angels.”
If Arte Moreno truly prioritized winning, Anaheim would be a destination franchise, says @KPillar4.
Moreno’s comments also drew the attention of the MLBPA, which just had a leadership change last week. Sam Blum of The Athletic reports that the players met with new MLBPA Executive Director Bruce Meyer two days after Moreno’s comments.
“Let’s just say players took notice of it,” Meyer told The Athletic. “And we took notice of it too.
“The bottom line is, players are competitors. They grew up competing every day. They go out, and they try their hardest to win every game. And players want to see owners doing the same thing.”
Arte Moreno’s Record as Owner Draws Criticism
Without knowledge of the original question asked, it’s hard to say what topic Moreno was addressing. However, his record of building a contender as the owner is evident. The Angels have not been to the postseason since the 2014 season and don’t appear to be ending that drought any time soon.
Their 2026 payroll took a hit. As Blum notes, their payroll took a step drop from $206 million to $155 million. Some of that could be attributed to a restructure of failed free-agent pickup Anthony Rendon, whose 2026 season has been deferred. Blum reports that Moreno cites the breakup between Main Street Sports Group and nine MLB teams this offseason as a reason.
However, Meyer seems to think otherwise. The Angels might play second fiddle to the Dodgers, but Los Angeles is the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States and a significant media market.
“If you can’t have a successful operation in Los Angeles, it’s hard to see what the problem is. It’s easy to make excuses, but certainly the Los Angeles Angels have resources to compete in every respect.
“To come out and say that winning is not a priority, not even in the top five priorities, is really pretty remarkable.”
Blum reports that the Angels declined to respond to Meyer’s comments.
It isn’t the first time the team beefed with the MLBPA. Last season, former director Tony Clark accused the Angels of treating the Competitive Balance Tax as a de facto salary cap. Those remarks were refuted by the team.
As the Angels get ready for the 2026 season, Moreno is getting into the news for all the wrong reasons again. It speaks to the failure of his ownership since taking over the team in 2003.
Michael McDermott Michael McDermott is a writer at Heavy Sports covering the Arizona Diamondbacks and Major League Baseball. Michael has 10 years experience writing about the D-backs and their farm system for AZ Snake Pit, Burn City Sports, and Diamondbacks On SI. More about Michael McDermott
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