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Arte Moreno’s latest comments on what fans want raised eyebrows with the MLBPA.<\/p>\n
Arte Moreno\u2019s latest comments sent shockwaves across MLB<\/a>. The Los Angeles Angels<\/a> owner drew backlash for suggesting that fans don\u2019t prioritize winning as a reason to attend ballgames.<\/p>\n \u201cThe number one thing fans want is affordability,\u201d Moreno told reporters on February 20. \u201cThey 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Those remarks didn\u2019t get lost on current and former Angels players. Former outfielder Kevin Pillar called out the Angels\u2019 owner<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n \u201cHe needs to get rid of the team, because he really doesn\u2019t care about the Angels.\u201d<\/p>\n If Arte Moreno truly prioritized winning, Anaheim would be a destination franchise, says @KPillar4<\/a>. <\/p>\n Moreno\u2019s comments also drew the attention of the MLBPA, which just had a leadership change last week. Sam Blum of The Athletic\u00a0reports<\/a> that the players met with new MLBPA Executive Director Bruce Meyer two days after Moreno\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s just say players took notice of it,\u201d Meyer told The Athletic. \u201cAnd we took notice of it too.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Arte Moreno\u2019s Record as Owner Draws Criticism<\/p>\n Without knowledge of the original question asked, it\u2019s 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\u2019t appear to be ending that drought any time soon.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n However, Meyer seems to think otherwise. The Angels might play second fiddle to the Dodgers<\/a>, but Los Angeles is the second-largest metropolitan area in the United States and a significant media market.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can\u2019t have a successful operation in Los Angeles, it\u2019s hard to see what the problem is. It\u2019s easy to make excuses, but certainly the Los Angeles Angels have resources to compete in every respect.<\/p>\n \u201cTo come out and say that winning is not a priority, not even in the top five priorities, is really pretty remarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n Blum reports that the Angels declined to respond to Meyer\u2019s comments.<\/p>\n It isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMichael McDermott<\/a> 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<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Angels\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t