Angels players 'took notice' of owner Arte Moreno's recent comments

On Friday, Los Angeles Angels longtime owner Arte Moreno shockingly told reporters that winning games is not in fans' top five priorities. 

“The number one thing fans want is affordability. They want affordability," Moreno told The Orange County Register. "They want safety, and they want a good experience when they come to the ballpark. Believe it or not, winning is not in their top five.”

Moreno and the AL West club reportedly used surveys to determine that information. Shortly after Moreno's comments became public, MLB Players Association director Bruce Meyer spoke with The Athletic and implied that Angels players are not happy with what they heard from their team's owner. 

Angels 'took notice' of Moreno's comments 

The last time the Angels made the postseason was in 2014 - the longest active playoff drought in the Majors. Future Hall of Famer Mike Trout is not getting any younger, and Moreno seems to think that winning is not an aspect of the experience that Angels fans want. 

“Let’s just say players took notice of it,” Meyer told The Athletic after he met with Angels players. “And we took notice of it too.”

Los Angeles signed several veterans during the offseason, including pitchers Alek Manoah, Jordan Romano, and Drew Pomeranz. They've slashed payroll from $206 million in 2025 to $155 million in 2026, according to The Athletic's Sam Blum. 

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