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Stan Kroenke to Acquire Los Angeles Angels, Expanding Sports Empire
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Stan Kroenke to Acquire Los Angeles Angels, Expanding Sports Empire

On Tuesday, September 1 2026, billionaire Stan Kroenke revealed that his holding company, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), had reached a deal to buy a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The transaction, slated to close in the first quarter of 2027, hinges on approval from Major League Baseball and its owners.

KSE’s purchase adds baseball to a growing portfolio that already includes the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, the MLS’s Colorado Rapids, Arsenal F.C. of the English Premier League, and a suite of other sports and entertainment assets. In a statement, KSE said the Angels are “a storied franchise anchored in a great market” and that the company will bring its championship‑building experience to a team that has struggled in recent years.

The Angels have been owned by Arte Moreno, a Mexican‑American businessman, since 2003. Moreno’s tenure has been marked by a prolonged downturn: 11 straight losing seasons, 12 consecutive years without a playoff berth, and no postseason appearance since 2009, even while star outfielder Mike Trout has played the entire 16‑year span. Critics have pointed to costly free‑agent signings that failed to deliver and a perceived lack of investment in facilities and support staff.

Moreno responded that “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.” He added that the Angels organization will continue its commitment to fans, employees, players, and business partners. Moreno’s children have reportedly expressed no interest in keeping the family in baseball, and he had previously considered a sale in 2022 before withdrawing the team from the market in early 2023.

The sale is valued at roughly $4 billion, setting a new record for an MLB franchise. It will make KSE the fourth permanent owner in Angels history, following Gene Autry, the Walt Disney Company, and the Moreno family. The Angels, founded in 1961 by Autry, have played at Angel Stadium in Anaheim since 1966.

MLB has yet to comment on the deal. The league’s approval is mandatory for any ownership change, and the transaction is expected to be finalized in early 2027. If approved, the Angels would become the only Major League Baseball team owned by a group that also holds teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, and English football.

The acquisition reflects a broader trend of consolidation in professional sports, as owners expand across multiple leagues. KSE’s recent success with the Rams, Nuggets, Avalanche, and Arsenal has produced several championships in the past five years, and the company is confident it can replicate that success with the Angels.

At the time of the announcement, MLB’s owners had not yet voted on the sale, and no official statement from the league was available. KSE said it will work with MLB to satisfy all regulatory requirements. The Angels’ front office, led by interim general manager John Mozeliak, has begun a rebuild after years of resistance from Moreno.

The sale marks a significant shift for the Angels and for California sports. It brings the franchise under the same ownership umbrella that includes SoFi Stadium and the Hollywood Park campus in Inglewood, potentially enabling new synergies across the region’s sports and entertainment infrastructure.

In summary, Stan Kroenke’s agreement to purchase the Los Angeles Angels represents a major change in the franchise’s ownership structure, a record valuation for an MLB team, and an expansion of KSE’s multi‑league portfolio. The deal will close in early 2027 once MLB and its owners approve the transaction.

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