Stan Kroenke is in discussion to purchase the Los Angeles Angels at a $4.5 billion valuation, with the intention of building a new $2.5 billion stadium to replace Angel Stadium. The original venue opened in 1966 and has undergone several rounds of refurbishment since.
Large-scale stadium construction is well-trodden ground for Kroenke, who oversaw the $5.5 billion build of SoFi Stadium and its surrounding complex as owner of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. His ownership record extends well beyond that project: the Rams, NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, NBA’s Denver Nuggets and MLS’ Colorado Rapids have all won league titles under his stewardship, and Arsenal, in which Kroenke holds a controlling stake, won the most recent Premier League title.
Angels star Mike Trout struck an optimistic note on the incoming ownership: “Look at his track record. It’s all there. So, I’m super excited to meet him, get to know him a little bit, and see where it goes.”
The optimism reflects years of on-field frustration. The Angels have reached the playoffs only once since 2009, and that appearance ended in a swift sweep in the 2014 American League Division Series. Even pairing Trout with Shohei Ohtani for several seasons failed to translate individual brilliance into team success.
Bloom notes Kroenke’s net worth at $24.3 billion, which would make him MLB’s richest owner, ahead of the New York Mets’ Steve Cohen at $23 billion, and his early stadium commitment suggests a willingness to spend in pursuit of the success that has eluded the franchise for over a decade.
