Will Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) and Stephen Curry (35, Golden State Warriors) come together under one roof? The search for a new owner for the Los Angeles Angels has begun in earnest.
The Los Angeles Times, an American media, reported on the 6th (Korean time), “The owner of the NBA defending champion team is considering taking over the Angels club.”
Joe Lacob (67), an American investor and owner of Golden State, recently appeared on The Athletic’s columnist Tim Kawakami’s podcast and mentioned the Angels, which were put up for sale on the market.
Angels owner Art Moreno announced his intention to sell the team at the end of last year, 20 years after the acquisition in 2003. Owner Moreno has so far captured big free agents such as Albert Pujols (43), Josh Hamilton (42), and Anthony Rendon (33), and has several star players such as Mike Trout (32) and Ohtani.
However, the club’s performance was disappointing compared to the investment. In Moreno’s 20 years at the club, the Angels have only made the playoffs six times, and not since 2014. Questions arose about the club’s long-term plan, and Moreno eventually let the team go. 메이저사이트
According to the media, the Angels are expected to trade for at least $2.5 billion. In addition, it is said that six teams, including Lacorp and Japanese capital, are preparing for the takeover.
In the podcast, Lakob said, “I’m going to look for opportunities,” and “the Angels are a team with great potential.” He added, “LA is a huge market, and the Angels are part of it.”
Lacob also has a past relationship with the Angels. A native of Massachusetts, Lakob has made her home in Southern California. According to the Orange County Register, an American media outlet, since 1970, when he was a teenager, he has been selling peanuts, coke, and ice cream at Anaheim Stadium (now Angel Stadium), the home stadium of the Angels. If he succeeds in acquiring the Angels, he will create a story from peanut salesman to owner.
LaCobb, a successful investor, bought Golden State for $450 million in 2010. Golden State, which had previously been a weak team, became a strong team with Curry and Klay Thompson (33), who had grown through rebuilding, and even brought in Kevin Durant (35) to create a super team. Golden State has been reborn as a strong team by winning four NBA Finals championships (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) in the 2010s.