Stan Kroenke, the billionaire owner of the NFL's Los Angeles Rams, has reached an agreement to buy the Los Angeles Angels from Arte Moreno, ending Moreno's 23-year run as owner and handing one of baseball's most recognizable franchises to one of the most decorated ownership groups in professional sports. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment announced the definitive agreement on Sept. 1, and the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, pending Major League Baseball approval.
Multiple outlets reported the sale at roughly $4 billion, which would be an MLB record for a franchise and, according to ESPN's Buster Olney, tops the previous record of $3.9 billion set by the Padres' new ownership group earlier this year. For Kroenke, the deal marks his first move into baseball, adding the Angels to a KSE empire that already spans the Rams, the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, the MLS's Colorado Rapids, the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League, and Arsenal of the English Premier League.
Inside the Deal That Ends the Moreno Era
Moreno, 80, bought the Angels in 2003 and presided over a stretch of early success, winning six American League West division titles in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2014, before the franchise slid into a decade of decline. The club has not posted a winning record since 2015 and entered the deal with a 53-85 record in 2026, tied for the worst mark in the American League.
"The Angels Organization is pleased to announce this transaction with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment," Moreno said in a statement. "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. The Angels Organization looks forward to continuing its commitment to the fans, our employees, the players and our business partners."
Kroenke struck an upbeat note of his own. "The Angels are a storied franchise anchored in a great market," he said in a joint statement. "We look forward to an exciting future with the Angels organization." Moreno is expected to retain a minority stake, the size of which was not disclosed.
The sale caught many inside the organization off guard. As recently as spring training, Moreno said he had no interest in selling, and he previously explored a sale in 2022 only to take the team off the market. The timing also overlapped with a turbulent front-office year: longtime club president John Carpino retired and was replaced by Molly Jolly, and general manager Perry Minasian was dismissed in early June, with former Cardinals executive John Mozeliak brought in as interim GM.
"When I first came here, I spoke with Arte and he had mentioned that this was a possibility," Mozeliak said. "But to learn this morning from Molly, I was definitely surprised, but it wasn't a shocker. I think it's exciting news for everybody. Change is what I came in to try to start doing."
Timeline: From 2003 Purchase to the $4 Billion Handoff
- 2003: Arte Moreno buys the Angels.
- 2004–2014: The Angels win six AL West division titles under Moreno.
- 2015: The Angels' last winning season to date.
- 2022: Moreno explores selling the team, then reverses course; a proposed Angel Stadium land deal collapses.
- Spring 2026: Moreno publicly says he has no interest in selling.
- June 2026: GM Perry Minasian is dismissed and John Mozeliak is hired as interim GM.
- Sept. 1, 2026: KSE announces a definitive agreement to buy a controlling stake from the Moreno family.
- Q1 2027: Expected closing of the sale, subject to MLB approval.
Why Kroenke Is a Different Kind of Owner
Kroenke brings a championship pedigree that contrasts sharply with the Angels' recent decade. The Rams won Super Bowl LVI, the Nuggets captured the 2023 NBA title, the Avalanche hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2001 and 2022, the Rapids won the 2010 MLS Cup, and Arsenal claimed the 2025-26 Premier League title. That track record resonated with Angels superstar Mike Trout, a three-time AL MVP who has spent 16 seasons in Anaheim without a playoff win.
"Kroenke's got a track record of success and winning championships with his teams," Trout said. "I'm super excited about it and can't wait to meet him."
The real-estate dimension may matter as much as the on-field résumé. KSE developed SoFi Stadium and the surrounding 300-acre Hollywood Park district in Inglewood, spending more than $5 billion on the project, and is regarded as one of the premier sports real-estate developers in the country. Angel Stadium, which opened in 1966 and is the fourth-oldest ballpark in baseball, is widely seen as needing major renovations or a full replacement, and Moreno's attempts to renovate or develop around the park stalled, including a collapsed land deal in 2022.
The club's current Angel Stadium lease runs through Dec. 31, 2032, with two additional extensions that could keep the Angels there through 2038. Resolving the ballpark's long-term future figures to be one of Kroenke's first major tasks.
The Rams and Angels also share history: the Rams played at Angel Stadium from 1980 to 1994 before moving to St. Louis. Kroenke became a part-owner of the Rams in 1995 and was instrumental in bringing the team back to Los Angeles in 2016 with his privately financed Inglewood project.
Where Things Stand Now
For the moment, Angels leadership says it is business as usual. Club president Molly Jolly described a "positive buzz" throughout the organization and said neither she nor Mozeliak has yet spoken with KSE. "Arte loves the Angels," Jolly said, "but to have the next owner be Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, and have that caliber of owner who has been successful with teams in every major sports league, I think is fantastic for the organization, for the fans, for our partners, for the players."
Mozeliak's interim contract runs through December, and he has said he hasn't decided whether he'll remain with the organization, though he remains tasked with helping find a permanent general manager.
What Comes Next for the Angels
The sale must clear Major League Baseball approval before it becomes official, with an expected close in the first quarter of 2027. In the meantime, the franchise will continue its search for a permanent general manager while Kroenke's group begins evaluating the roster, the front office, and the long-term stadium question.
For a fan base that has endured a decade without a winning season, the arrival of an owner with a proven record of building champions, and deep pockets to match, represents a sharp break from the recent past.
The Bottom Line
- Stan Kroenke's KSE has agreed to buy a controlling stake in the Angels from Arte Moreno for a reported $4 billion, an MLB record.
- The deal is expected to close in Q1 2027, pending MLB approval, and Moreno will retain a minority share.
- It ends Moreno's 23-year tenure, which included six division titles but no winning season since 2015.
- Kroenke adds baseball to a portfolio that includes the Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche, Rapids, Mammoth and Arsenal.
- Resolving the future of Angel Stadium, the fourth-oldest park in MLB, will be an early priority.
