This LA Angels Name dispute is back, whats your opinion? (Los Angeles: sales, lease)

[ocexpo]

This LA Angels Name dispute is back, whats your opinion?

Personally, I think it is a waste of money. However, I do see the cities point in pursuing this. When I think of LA, a not so pretty picture comes to mind (think of the Dodgers or the Raiders). I just tend to associate it with grime and poverty. Plus, there is some pride in having something named after our Suburban County (like Green Bay, the little city in Wisconsin that is too small to really have a football team). I am kind of torn, what do you guys think. Is the OC name important to you or not?

[bhcompy]

Should be Anaheim, but whatever. Not big enough a deal to care too much about

[MisterDuke]

If Moreno actually grew up or lived in Orange County, he would know why Los Angeles is so reviled here. MLB should not approve the sales of teams to persons with no ties to a team's community.

The city may have lost another round in the lawsuit, but the word Anaheim still has to appear in the name of the team. Moreno still can't legally call them the Los Angeles Angels. He's paid $7 million in legal bills so he can slap them with the ridiculous name of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He's no genius.

I like Anaheim Angels. I grew up with the California Angels, that's fine too. And frankly, I wouldn't care too much if they were named Los Angeles Angels, since that too has a long history in the southland. But the taxpayers of Anaheim coughed up money, as part of the 90s stadium remodeling, to have the city name included in the team name. Moreno could have offered to buy out the city's naming right, but instead he is trying to screw them out of that. The mayor and city council are obligated to protect the financial interests of Anaheim taxpayers. They should keep hounding him.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by ocexpo

Personally, I think it is a waste of money.

Personally? Do you know the financial benefits of the change?

Hypothetically, If someone paid you $100K cash, tax free, would you change your name?

[Reivax]

Originally Posted by Charles

Personally? Do you know the financial benefits of the change?

Hypothetically, If someone paid you $100K cash, tax free, would you change your name?

No.

[BRinSM]

I have some insider info on this case. As long as Moreno wants to have LA in the name, the team will be the LA Angels of Anaheim. Anaheim must be in the name according to the lease terms with the stadium which the city owns. I don't think Moreno plans on building a new stadium any time soon, so the LA Angels of Anaheim it is.

The whole point of adding LA to the team's name was to increase its marketability. LA as a city is bigger than the whole of OC and draws much more advertising revenue. I have to give it to Artie though, he has done a good job advertising the Angels in LA. For the past 2 or 3 seasons, Angels billboards have been all over the place on the westside. I'm not sure who will make the 50 mile drive from West LA to Anaheim to catch a game, but he is getting their name out there in their "home" city.

[NaplesRes]

Other than people who live in one of the OC cities, most people think of the OC cities as suburbs of LA. It's just like the NY Giants and Jets. They play in Jersey but are called NY as Jersey is part of the NY metro area.

This wasn't a problem with the Rams and it shouldn't be with the Angles.

[missionhome]

Its not that big a deal to me, although I would prefer Anaheim be in front for the local pride. I must admit though, as much as we like to say "we're big too" in Orange County, we are dwarfed by Los Angeles and Anaheim just isn't as well known. Lots of stadiums are in suburbs like Orange County, but they almost always carry the name of the large city of the metro area.

[Dirk Bonner]

Moreno wanted the national recognition of the LA moniker...it is business, and it has basically been forgotten as an issue. It had no impact on attendance this past year.

No biggie.

[streetscenes]

Originally Posted by MisterDuke

If Moreno actually grew up or lived in Orange County, he would know why Los Angeles is so reviled here. MLB should not approve the sales of teams to persons with no ties to a team's community.

The city may have lost another round in the lawsuit, but the word Anaheim still has to appear in the name of the team. Moreno still can't legally call them the Los Angeles Angels. He's paid $7 million in legal bills so he can slap them with the ridiculous name of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He's no genius.

I like Anaheim Angels. I grew up with the California Angels, that's fine too. And frankly, I wouldn't care too much if they were named Los Angeles Angels, since that too has a long history in the southland. But the taxpayers of Anaheim coughed up money, as part of the 90s stadium remodeling, to have the city name included in the team name. Moreno could have offered to buy out the city's naming right, but instead he is trying to screw them out of that. The mayor and city council are obligated to protect the financial interests of Anaheim taxpayers. They should keep hounding him.

Actually Moreno is one of the best owners in baseball. He has made a huge commitment to having an excelent team. Part of the way to pay all of those salaires is with increased ad revenue and part of that strategy is to have LA in the name.