Who is Arte Moreno?

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno says he is exploring the possibility of selling the MLB franchise. The 76-year-old American businessman’s decision comes as the side is set to miss the postseason for the eighth straight year despite featuring AL MVPs Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.

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Moreno purchased the Angels in 2003, a year after they won the World Series. He has spent aggressively on aging free agent stars like Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, but the club hasn’t been back to the Fall Classic since he became owner.

“It has been a great honor and privilege to own the Angels for 20 seasons,” Moreno said in a statement. “Although this difficult decision was entirely our choice and deserved a great deal of thoughtful consideration, my family and I have ultimately come to the conclusion that now is the time.”

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Who is Arte Moreno? 

Moreno, a Mexican-American born in Arizona, is the only non-white controlling owner in Major League Baseball. He was born on August 14, 1946 in Tucson, Arizona and is 76 years old. 

Morena is the oldest of 11 children of Maria and Arturo Moreno, who immigrated from Mexico. His father ran Tucsan’s first Spanish-language newspaper. 

Arte Moreno graduated from high school in 1965 and was drafted into the US Army the very next year. He fought in the Vietnam War. After returning in 1968, he enrolled at the University of Arizona where he graduated in 1973 with a degree in marketing.

Moreno worked at an advertising firm Eller Outdoor. He travelled across the country for seven years before returning to Arizona in 1984. Settled in Phoenix, the 76-year-old worked for a billboard company Outdoor Systems.

In 1984, Moreno and his friend Wally Kelly attempted unsuccessfully to buy the firm from owner William S. Levine. Moreno and Kelly entered into a partnership with Levine, and Moreno later became its president and chief executive officer.

He purchased the Salt Lake Trappers minor league team alongside 17 other investors in 1986. They owned the team until 1992. In 2001, Moreno attemped to buy controlling interest in the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, a deal was not reached. 

In April 2003, he bought the Angels for $180 million. Moreno has been married twice. He has three children.