Angels owner Arte Moreno draws MLBPA criticism after saying fans don't prioritize winning

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Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno’s recent comments have the Major League Baseball Players’ Association ticked off. 

Moreno was speaking with reporters on Friday when he mentioned that the "number one thing fans want is affordability" to attend games during the MLB season, per the Orange County Register.

But that wasn’t the worst of it, as Moreno said, "Winning is not in their top five," referencing data the organization procured themselves.

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Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno gets ready for a game against the Kansas City Royals at Tempe Diablo Stadium on March 14, 2025. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)

"They want affordability," Moreno said to reporters. "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."

Bruce Meyer, the new head of the MLBPA following Tony Clark’s resignation, said "the players took notice" of Moreno’s comments, while the union did as well. 

"The bottom line is players are competitors," Meyer told The Athletic. "They grew up competing every day. They go out, and they try their hardest to win every game. And players want to see owners doing the same thing."

It may be hard for players to hear their owner isn’t focused on winning, especially those on the Angels’ roster like future Hall of Fame center fielder Mike Trout, who hasn’t seen playoff baseball since 2014. 

In fact, that was the last season the Angels finished the regular season over .500 (98-64), where they eventually lost in the ALDS. Since then, the