For Angels Fans, New Team Ownership — And Winning — Are What They'd Like To See Most

The Angels celebrated their 2026 location opener connected Friday, and nan fans booed nan ceremonial first pitch.

Magic Johnson, nan Dodgers’ co-owner and nan foremost victor successful Los Angeles sports history, threw retired nan ceremonial first transportation earlier nan Dodgers’ opener. Jeff Kent, conscionable elected to nan Hall of Fame, did nan honors for nan San Francisco Giants.

In Anaheim, John Carpino tossed nan first pitch, moreover pinch celebrated alumni specified arsenic Torii Hunter and Tim Salmon successful nan house. Carpino is nan Angels’ president, retiring Monday aft 16 years successful that domiciled and 23 years successful each arsenic a loyal executive nether Angels proprietor Arte Moreno.

Moreno thought it would beryllium beautiful for Carpino to propulsion retired nan first transportation and, nether different circumstances, it would person been.

The fans tin woody pinch nan aging stadium, nan caller deficiency of marquee signings and nan longest playoff drought successful nan awesome leagues, but not pinch Moreno’s outpouring remark to nan Orange County Register that surveys show affordability is nan fans’ apical privilege and “believe it aliases not, winning is not successful their apical five.”

So Carpino, arsenic a proxy for Moreno, was booed loudly. Then a fewer humble choruses of “sell nan team” collapsed out.

Behind nan Angels’ dugout, Dave and Chris Bloye of Upland wore reddish T-shirts. His garment listed 5 priorities, successful order: Affordability, bully experience, safety, peanuts, instrumentality surveys. Her garment listed 5 priorities too, starting pinch “sell nan team.” The Bloyes said they person had play tickets for much than 20 years.

“We’ve ne'er had a survey,” Chris Bloye said.

Moreno is competitive, a hardcore instrumentality who regularly attends moreover outpouring training games. Perhaps he did not mean his words to travel retired nan measurement they did.

Moreno declined an question and reply petition from The Times astatine nan owners’ meetings successful February. A squad spokesperson said past week that Moreno would walk connected an opportunity to explain his remarks astir instrumentality priorities.

But, if those were so nan priorities, they would person been reflected by nan fans that showed up much than six hours earlier crippled clip for nan free instrumentality show nan Angels propulsion earlier nan location opener each year.

Surely, nan man successful nan jersey that publication “FAN SINCE 81” and nan Angels tattoo connected his near limb would beryllium present triumph aliases lose.

Angels fans guidelines successful beforehand of nan stadium earlier nan team’s location opener against nan Seattle Mariners connected Friday night.

(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

Yes, Jose Bocanegra of Chino said, he would be. But for Moreno to opportunity winning was not a apical instrumentality priority?

“That’s crazy,” Bocanegra said. “If you’re not successful it to triumph it, past what are we doing?”

How astir nan instrumentality successful nan Nolan Ryan jersey? He held his 7-year-old girl atop his shoulders. She wore a Mike Trout jersey, smiled broadly, and clutched a cup of crystal cream.

His sanction was Nate Ryan, from Hemet. He and his girl be Dodgers and Angels games, but they peculiarly for illustration visits to Angel Stadium. His girl loves nan rally monkey and nan free games successful nan Pac-Man arcade, and he appreciates Moreno’s attraction connected affordability.

“The Angels are much economical,” Ryan said. “We person a bully time.”

At Angel Stadium, $44 gets you four tickets, 4 basking dogs, and 4 drinks. At Dodger Stadium, $45 gets you a parking space.

Ryan had 1 much point to say.

“I’d for illustration to spot a caller owner,” Ryan said.

Jarod Venegas of Corona dressed successful a achromatic wrap, wearing a reddish headdress topped by a golden halo. He was astir to walk 9 innings arsenic — you guessed it — an angel successful nan outfield.

“I judge we person a squad that tin beryllium nan best,” he said.

What precisely do you mean by best?

“I mean World Series champions,” he said.

Venegas had thing to opportunity astir instrumentality priorities.

“Winning is our No. 2 priority,” he said. “No. 1 is getting a caller owner.”

Johnny Estrada of Corona wore a T-shirt pinch 8 lines connected nan back. All 8 lines publication nan same: “Sell nan team.”

He said he loves nan team, supports nan players, and does not judge Moreno chose his words poorly.

“I don’t needfully consciousness it came retired wrong,” Estrada said. “I consciousness he hasn’t cared for a while.”

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, who remains irked by Moreno branding nan squad with a Los Angeles name, has been a season-ticket holder acold longer than she has been mayor. She’ll springiness Moreno a walk connected his comments.

“I deliberation it was a misstep,” Aitken said. “I’m consenting to springiness him nan use of nan doubt. He knows that winning, for a existent fan, is 1 of nan astir important things. Winning is simply a privilege for our players. Winning is simply a privilege to nan loyal instrumentality base.”

Even much so, perhaps, to nan casual fans, nan ones that find whether nan Angels waste 3 cardinal tickets successful immoderate fixed year.

The Angels sold 2.6 cardinal tickets past year, a testament to nan spot of nan marketplace amid a 2nd consecutive last-place finish.

The “Big A” motion extracurricular Angel Stadium connected Friday during nan team’s location opener.

(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

However, attendance has fallen 20% complete nan past 20 years, a span that includes 1 postseason bid triumph and nan existent streaks of 10 seasons pinch losing records and 11 seasons without a playoff appearance.

Friday’s location opener was sold out. However, arsenic of Friday afternoon, resale markets listed tickets for arsenic small arsenic $7 for Saturday’s crippled and $4 for Sunday’s game.

This is simply a awesome instrumentality base, to maine overmuch much disappointment than angry, waiting to erupt successful joy. The instrumentality show was dominated by fans wearing “sell” jerseys but a assortment of Trout jerseys — location white, roadworthy gray, alternate red, City Connect, All-Star, World Baseball Classic, moreover 1 from nan Salt Lake Bees.

Trout’s loyalty has been reciprocated by nan fans. Moreno could consciousness that emotion too, pinch a renewed committedness to nan excellence nan Angels he displayed successful his first decade arsenic owner.

In 2002, nan twelvemonth earlier Moreno bought nan team, nan stadium was rocking pinch thunder sticks arsenic nan Angels won nan World Series. Thunder sticks are truthful large that they were banned astatine nan World Baseball Classic finals, moreover arsenic drums, trumpets and cowbells were permitted.

In Anaheim, nan thunder sticks were glorious. Moreno does not want to waste astatine nan moment, truthful champion to show a dedication to returning October to nan Angels’ schedule, lest their fans return location their giveaway calendars from nan location opener and commencement nan countdown to “wait ‘til adjacent year.”