Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

[Purple Reign]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Baseball's Angels have a new name, and it's a mouthful: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.


Also...
KENNEDY: Top baseball stories of '04
Hot Stove updates: AL | NL





The switch, which will be challenged in court by the city of Anaheim, is intended to help the team market itself to more of Southern California, attract more advertising sponsors and broadcast revenue, the team said Monday.

"We believe that the appeal in the marketplace will be broader," Angels spokesman Tim Mead said.

The city of Anaheim will file a lawsuit to block the name change and hopes to obtain a temporary restraining order in place this week, city spokesman John Nicoletti said.

Anaheim officials believe the change violates the terms of the team's 33-year lease with the city.

"It's geographically confusing and absurd," Nicoletti said. "No other professional sports franchise that I know of has two different cities in its names."

When the franchise began in 1961, owned by singing cowboy Gene Autry, it was the Los Angeles Angels. The team became the California Angels when it moved to Anaheim in 1966. In 1997, when the team was controlled by The Walt Disney Co., the franchise was renamed the Anaheim Angels.

Arte Moreno bought the team in 2003, one year after it won the World Series, and he wanted to change the name.

The Angels drew 3,375,677 last season, the third-highest total in baseball behind the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Edited to remove duplication--

 

[BJax24]

That's stupid

 

[C Diddy]

That is utterly stupid and pointless. They will gain a bigger marketing base, for sure, but it will consist of other So-Cal baseball fans laughing at the franchise.

 

[hoopsfan]

It will not draw Dodger fans...they are Dodger fans. All it will do is alienate the Orange County fan base that they already have.

 

[8KOBE8]

I really don't get this at all......

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Soooooooo, I guess the track record was the gobs and gobs of people drawn throughout the state when their name was the California Angels was the basis for the ridiculous additional geographic reference.....

 

[VF21]

I think it would be a lot easier if they just became the Sacramento Angels.

The switch, which will be challenged in court by the city of Anaheim, is intended to help the team market itself to more of Southern California, attract more advertising sponsors and broadcast revenue, the team said Monday.

The team said it? Or some marketing guru said it? You know, the guy who came up with the idea for New Coke?

So basically the team can't market itself as a team because they don't have Los Angeles in their name? And when they do have Los Angeles in their name, they will become instantly more popular in Los Angeles?

I have a headache...

 

[hoopsfan]

The team said it? Or some marketing guru said it? You know, the guy who came up with the idea for New Coke?

So basically the team can't market itself as a team because they don't have Los Angeles in their name? And when they do have Los Angeles in their name, they will become instantly more popular in Los Angeles?

I have a headache...

Yep..that's what the new owner thinks. I guess he doesn't care that they had the 3rd highest attendence behind the Yanks and Dodgers, or that they have a very loyal base in OC. Nope..gotta have Los Angeles in the name...that will make all the difference. ( Not in a good way IMHO)