Who owns the Los Angeles Angels? Arte Moreno, explained

Arturo Moreno has owned and operated the Los Angeles Angels since May 15, 2003, making him the first Mexican-American and first Latino owner of a major U.S. sports franchise. He remains the control person before MLB as of August 2026, having explored a sale in August 2022 but withdrawn the team from the market in January 2023. What sets the Angels apart under his ownership is not just longevity—he’s now in his 24th year—but his willingness to move against industry trends, most recently by taking full control of the club’s local broadcast operations rather than ceding them to MLB.

🏟️ Ownership at a glance

Principal owner	Arturo "Arte" Moreno
Controlling group	Angels Baseball LP, controlled by the Moreno family
In charge since	2003
Purchase price	$180M
Latest valuation	$2.7B
Owner’s net worth	$4.9B
Value multiple	15× the purchase price

Who is Arte Moreno

Moreno’s wealth came from outdoor advertising, not inheritance. Born August 14, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, to Mexican-American parents and the eldest of 11 siblings, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966 and served in Vietnam until 1968. After returning home, he earned a degree in marketing from the University of Arizona in 1973 and built his fortune from the ground up: he joined Eller Outdoor, moved to Outdoor Systems in Phoenix in 1984, became president and CEO, took the company public in 1996, and sold it to Infinity Broadcasting in 1998 for $8 billion. His net worth is estimated at $4.9 billion as of January 2026.

Baseball came into his life earlier than most realize. In 1986, before he was a household name, Moreno was a co-owner of the Salt Lake Trappers, a minor-league club. That early stake in the game positioned him to recognize opportunity when Disney put the Anaheim Angels on the block. On May 15, 2003, he purchased the team for $180 million and became the first Latino owner of a major North American sports franchise—a milestone that resonated far beyond Southern California.

How they bought the team

Moreno bought the Angels from Disney for $180 million in 2003. The club had passed through several hands before that: Gene Autry owned it until 1996, when Disney bought his controlling stake for $140 million. Disney completed its acquisition in 1999 after Autry’s death and held the team until Moreno’s purchase. Forbes later valued the club at $2.7 billion in March 2026—meaning Moreno’s $180 million investment has grown to roughly 15 times its original cost in nominal terms.

In August 2022, Moreno opened an exploratory sale process that drew offers exceeding the $2.42 billion Steve Cohen paid for the Mets in 2020, with speculation reaching as high as $3 billion. In January 2023, he took the team off the market, saying he had «unfinished business.» In February 2026, he reiterated: «I continue to love owning the team.»

Year	Buyer	Amount
1996	The Walt Disney Company (controlling stake purchased from Gene Autry)	$140M
1999	The Walt Disney Company (purchase of the remainder following Gene Autry’s death in 1998)	—
2003	Arte Moreno (purchase from Disney; first Mexican American owner in MLB)	$180M
2022	NONE: Moreno opened an exploratory sale process in August 2022 and canceled it in January 2023. Forbes reported offers exceeding the $2.42 billion that Steve Cohen paid for the Mets in 2020, with speculation of up to $3 billion.	—

What else they own

Beyond the Angels, Moreno’s portfolio includes real estate holdings and the Moreno Family Foundation, established in 1997 to support youth, education, and athletics at the University of Arizona. He also owns KMXE 830 AM, the largest Spanish-language AM radio station in the country, acquired in 2006 through a partnership he led. These holdings connect directly to the club: the Angels broadcast in Spanish on KWKW 1330 AM, reaching the same Latino audiences that form the backbone of Southern California baseball fandom.

Where the games air

In 2026, the Angels took an unusual step: they seized control of their own regional sports network rather than surrender it to MLB. After Main Street Sports Group collapsed due to unpaid debts, the club announced in early March 2026 that it had purchased 50% of Main Street’s stake in FanDuel Sports Network West, becoming sole owner and operator. The network relaunched as ABTV (Angels Broadcast Television) on May 1, 2026, on the same cable and satellite channels across Southern California, and continues to carry LA Kings hockey games through at least the 2026-27 season. Direct-to-consumer streaming runs through MLB: Angels.TV within MLB.TV costs $19.99 per month or $99.99 per season ($199.99 for the full MLB.TV package). Radio broadcasts air in English on KLAA 830 AM and KSPN 710 AM.

Facts worth knowing

He is the first Mexican American—and first Latino—owner of a major U.S. sports franchise, since May 15, 2003.
He bought the team for around $180 million and Forbes values it today at $2.7 billion: more than 14 times his investment in 23 years.
In 2022-2023 he sat on what Forbes described as potentially the highest sale price in baseball history—offers above the $2.42 billion that Cohen paid for the Mets, with speculation of $3 billion—and backed away.
The real estate business around Angel Stadium collapsed when the Anaheim City Council canceled the land sale following an FBI investigation into corruption.
He was drafted to Vietnam in 1966 and is the oldest of 11 siblings: his fortune is self-made, not inherited.
In 2026 he swam against the current: while 15 teams handed over their local broadcasts to MLB, he bought the entire RSN and launched ABTV.
The 2026 payroll dropped to $180.5 million from $206 million at the end of 2025; Moreno attributed it to the ‘TV issue’.

Where they stand among the 30 owners

List	Rank
By franchise value	#13 de 30
By purchase price	#18 de 27
By owner’s net worth	#9 de 21
By years in charge	#13 de 30

Amounts are nominal and not adjusted for inflation: comparing a decades-old purchase price with today’s valuation overstates the real gain.

Moreno ranks 12th among the 30 MLB franchises by current valuation and 13th by longevity of ownership. What distinguishes his position is not just the scale of his wealth or the growth of his investment, but his identity: he remains the only Latino owner of a major MLB team, and he has used that platform to shape how the Angels connect with one of baseball’s largest Latino fan bases. When he lowered ticket and beer prices upon taking over in 2003, it was read as a signal of intent. When he bought the broadcast network in 2026 instead of handing it to MLB, it was read the same way—a man who still has something to prove after 23 years.