Angels Owner Arte Moreno Is So Cheap, He's Forcing Broadcasters to Call Games Remotely
The 2023 MLB season is starting with yet another embarrassment for Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno.
Moreno, whose net worth is estimated at $4.1 billion, is proving his bonafides as one of baseball's cheapest owners yet again.
He famously was one of just a few owners to vote against raising the luxury tax threshold. Even a minimal increase was seen as unacceptable for Moreno, who's steadfastly refused to spend above the tax level. Despite having the benefit of a massive Southern California market.
But his cheapness extends beyond on-field investments and into off-field priorities.
Apparently the Angels will be forcing team radio broadcasters to call road games remotely from Angel Stadium. Totally embarrassing.
ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels gets a bump from Arte Moreno before being given the Angels Most Valuable player award before playing the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on September 25, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
Arte Moreno Endlessly Cheap
In March, he explained that he believed that the travel would not change the radio broadcast experience.
“We found out that it’s not changing — we love our radio people, they do a great job,” Moreno said according to Larry Brown Sports. “We just found that the economics — 40,000-50,000 miles is not going to change that experience.”
The Athletic reported that estimates for radio team travel for the entire season runs between $185,000-200,000. That's an infinitesimal amount of money for MLB teams, who spend hundreds of millions in expenses each year.
But it's not particularly surprising for owners like Moreno, who frequently prioritizes profits over surrounding all-world superstars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani with a quality supporting cast.
Radio broadcasts are not the same as the team budget, but it shows how certain owners will always focus on nickel-and-diming ahead of competitive balance.
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Some have argued that it's difficult to tell the difference between remote and in-person broadcasts. But there are clear benefits from being in the booth that Angels fans will miss out on.
For example, on balls put in play, watching television requires a slight delay to see the outcome. Broadcasters in person, however, are immediately able to tell where the ball is going.
It's especially galling considering the Angels are fielding a team with two of baseball's most important players. Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani generate as much interest as anyone in the league, something that MLB has repeatedly struggled to maintain.
But instead of the best quality radio product to promote them, Arte Moreno is showing once again that saving a little bit of money matters more to him than anything.