Everything you need to know about Angels' sale

ANAHEIM -- It’s only fitting that a man named after two baseball players is now set to finally own an MLB franchise.

Enos Stanley “Stan” Kroenke, who was named after Cardinals legends Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial, agreed to purchase the majority stake of the Angels from Arte Moreno on Wednesday. It came as a surprise not only to fans but to many in the organization.

The agreement raises plenty of questions, so here are some FAQs about the sale:

What is the formal process like now that the sale has been announced?
The deal will be sent to MLB’s executive ownership committee to review the financials, which isn’t expected to be an issue given Kroenke Sports and Entertainment's extensive portfolio of sports franchises, including the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams. It’ll then be voted on by the owners and will need at least 75 percent (23 of 29) to approve it. If everything goes to plan, the sale would become official in the first quarter of 2027.

What are some changes to expect in the short term?
Not really much is expected to change for now, as both team president Molly Jolly and interim general manager John Mozeliak said it’ll be business as usual. They both indicated it was a surprise that Moreno sold now and that they hadn't had any contact with anyone from KSE just yet.

How will this affect their search for a new GM, and does it affect Mozeliak’s future?
It certainly adds a new wrinkle, as Mozeliak said he believes the new ownership will give him direction on what they want that position to look like going forward. Mozeliak said it’s too early to say how much it will change things, as he plans to start that search soon after doing some reshuffling in the front office, including elevating both Michael Lord and Matt Swanson to assistant general manager roles on Monday. As for Mozeliak, whose contract expires in December, he continues to maintain that he hasn’t decided on his future just yet.

Could Kroenke bring in his own people to run baseball operations?
It’s a major question that will need to be resolved, but it seems more likely that a major overhaul wouldn’t come right away. Mozeliak is well-regarded in the industry after his 18-year stint running the Cardinals, while Jolly was just promoted to president this year after John Carpino retired. Jolly helped lead the charge to fire general manager Perry Minasian in late June and bring in Mozeliak, and she has not shied away from making changes. But new owners often do want their own president in place, so it’ll be something to monitor.

What about their strategy this offseason?
Mozeliak and Jolly said it’s premature to know how the pending sale will impact their strategy in the winter to improve the roster, but they plan to work closely with the new ownership to make sure everything is aligned. They will also have to decide what to do with manager Kurt Suzuki, who is on an expiring deal, and the coaching staff. Kroenke usually takes a measured approach with his new franchises, taking time to analyze things before making any drastic changes. But he’s known to invest heavily in research and development and doesn’t meddle, instead relying on his trusted executives to do their jobs. So it means it’s more likely they could spend on infrastructure such as better technology, front-office hires and player development before they invest heavily in free agency.

What did Mike Trout say?
Trout was diplomatic after the sale, as he said he still has a strong relationship with Moreno but was excited about what Kroenke brings as a consistent winner. All of the teams Kroenke owns have won a title (NFL, NBA, NFL, EPL, MLS, NLL, WSL) and Trout, as a noted sports fan, knows plenty about Kroenke’s franchises and reputation as a winner. He said he believed that change was necessary and that it doesn’t change anything with his status with the franchise, with his contract running through 2030.

Does the sale include the television network and radio station?
Yes, it includes both ABTV, which launched this year, and KLAA Angels Radio AM 830. A noteworthy wrinkle is ABTV is set to broadcast the NHL’s L.A. Kings, while Kroenke also owns the Avalanche. It’ll also be interesting to see if the new owner will now allow the radio broadcasters to travel.

What about the stadium and land?
The city of Anaheim owns both the land and the ballpark, and the Angels’ current lease is through Dec. 31, 2032, with two more extensions that could keep them at Angel Stadium through '38. KSE is likely to work with the city to try to buy the land/stadium and could finally look to develop the 150-acre lot that the ballpark sits in. KSE is considered a premier sports real estate land development company, notably developing SoFi Stadium and the surrounding 300-acre Hollywood Park district in Inglewood. It’s still unclear if the preference would be to build a new stadium like Kroenke did with the Rams (there was a false report of plans to build a $2.5 billion stadium) or if he’d make massive renovations and build a sports and entertainment district around the stadium, like he’s done with Denver’s Ball Arena.