01-03-2005, 01:02 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Squid
Location: USS George Washington
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Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
LINK
Quote:
Angels changing name once again, add Los Angeles
Jan. 3, 2005
SportsLine.com wire reports
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Baseball's Angels have a new name, and it's a mouthful: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The switch, which will be challenged in court by the city of Anaheim, is intended to help the team market itself to more of Southern California, attract more advertising sponsors and broadcast revenue, the team said Monday.
"We believe that the appeal in the marketplace will be broader," Angels spokesman Tim Mead said.
The city of Anaheim will file a lawsuit to block the name change and hopes to obtain a temporary restraining order in place this week, city spokesman John Nicoletti said.
Anaheim officials believe the change violates the terms of the team's 33-year lease with the city.
"It's geographically confusing and absurd," Nicoletti said. "No other professional sports franchise that I know of has two different cities in its names."
When the franchise began in 1961, owned by singing cowboy Gene Autry, it was the Los Angeles Angels. The team became the California Angels when it moved to Anaheim in 1966. In 1997, when the team was controlled by The Walt Disney Co., the franchise was renamed the Anaheim Angels.
Arte Moreno bought the team in 2003, one year after it won the World Series, and he wanted to change the name.
The Angels drew 3,375,677 last season, the third-highest total in baseball behind the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
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Kind of ridiculous, but then again that's Southern California, home of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (NOT the Anaheim Mighty Ducks).
And people wonder why there's an East Coast bias and why California sports franchises aren't taken seriously.
-Mikey
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