GROWING up only ten minutes from Anaheim, I spent a lot of my childhood going to Angel’s games. Pulling up to the Big A before games in my red jersey and Rally Monkey, I would be so filled with pride for my Anaheim Angels. Then when the Angels won the World Series on home turf in 2002, the city exploded with halo spirit. People wore their championship t-shirts like a badge of honor, and Angel flags hung from the windows of every car in my city. Anaheim was no longer just the home to Disneyland, but the home of the Angels.
Now, as the baseball season starts up again, I found myself wondering again, why the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? So I did a little research on the subject.
The Angels were first formed in 1961 as the Los Angeles Angels and played their home games at the newly built Dodger Stadium, which was then referred to as Chavez Ravine Stadium. Then, in 1965 the Angels were bought by the Walt Disney Company and were moved to Anaheim, California, the home of Disney. The team was then renamed as the Anaheim Angels. However, in 2005, new owner Arte Moreno wanted to change the name to the Los Angeles Angels as a way to tap into the L.A. media market. However, in compliance with terms of the lease, Moreno was forced to add “Anaheim” to the team name. Which finally brings us to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, or as many frustrated fans have begun to refer to them as, the “Halos.”
I guess what this title change has taught me is that Los Angeles isn’t just a city, or a destination—it’s a marketing tool. L.A. has one of the largest media markets in the entire country. So in adding “Los Angeles” to the Angel’s title, the owner wasn’t attempting to describe the team’s location, but he was branding the team. So now as confused ballpark goers struggle with the fact that Angel Stadium isn’t actually in Los Angeles, it proves that Moreno’s plan actually worked.
-- Megan McMurtrey
Ever since the terrible name change of '05, many Orange County citizens (especially those that live in Anaheim) have been bitter, myself included. The Angels had always been something specific and unique to OC that we could be proud of. Sure, we have Disneyland (and I'm probably the biggest fan out there), but it wasn't the same as having our own team and ballpark. People came from all over the world for Disney, but the Angels would always be "ours" only. I remember being in high school when it happened. People put up bumper stickers, banners and flyers fighting the name change and Arte Moreno became one of the most hated men in Anaheim. I don't think the reason so many people despised the change was because they despised Los Angeles though. I feel like it was because OC has always been left in LA's shadow. People have always been so keen on clumping us together. Even Professor Martinez referred to Irvine as practically being Los Angeles anyways when he visited our class. Ever city wants something to be proud of that sets them apart from the rest. For Anaheim it was the Angels. Fortunately, it still is. But the true fans make sure never to refer to the team as the LA Angels of Anaheim. They will always be the ANAHEIM Angels to us loyalists.
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