The Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim, one of sports’ oddest naming conventions, may be coming to an end. The team announced on Tuesday that it is opting out of its stadium lease in Anaheim.
“As we look to the future, we need the ability to continue to deliver a high-quality fan experience beyond what the original lease allows,” Angels president John Carpino said in a statement. “It is important that we look at all our options and how we can best serve our fans now and in the future.”
What that means thus far is unclear, but it almost certainly means the team will no longer play in Anaheim unless a new stadium is built. Angels Stadium opened in 1966 and is currently the fourth-oldest park in the majors, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t showing up. As the Los Angeles Times notes, since 2003, only the Yankees and Angels have sold more than three million tickets each year.
A new stadium means a bunch of money for sports franchises but not necessarily everyone else who is left holding the bag. The city noted that in its official response to the news, pointing out that this is all a business, after all, and the city won’t necessarily be ready to pay a bunch of money for a new stadium.
City statement: "As fun as baseball is in Anaheim, this is a reminder that this is still a business. And we understand that the Angels need to preserve all options available. We welcome talking with the team about the future of baseball in Anaheim."
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) October 16, 2018
As the Times noted, the news doesn’t necessarily mean that the Angles are going anywhere anytime soon. Opting out is a means to give the team flexibility over the next years as the push to get a new stadium built.
Angels spokeswoman Marie Garvey said the decision to opt out was not meant to influence voters. She said the lease required the team to opt out no later than Tuesday or wait until 2028 for another chance to do so.
“It’s today, or 10 years from now,” Garvey said. “There’s no option in between.”
Garvey would not say whether remaining in Anaheim was the Angels’ first choice.
“We’ll sit down with the new mayor and city council,” she said. “We also are going to look at all our options.”
It doesn’t mean the Los Angeles Angles, who play in Anaheim, will play anywhere else anytime soon. But it does mean they want some money. You know, for the effort.
