Gothamite Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 It's started....SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Angels owner Arte Moreno violated a 10-year-old contract with Anaheim and the city lost $100 million in tourism revenue and publicity when he changed the team's name last year, a city attorney said Friday.A packed courtroom watched as the much-anticipated trial pitting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim against the city of Anaheim began. Curious fans were on hand, some wearing T-shirts that read "We Are Not L.A."The city sued the Angels after Moreno changed the club's name from the Anaheim Angels last January.The city alleges the 2002 World Series champions breached a contract that promised the word "Anaheim" would be prominently displayed in the Angels' name and on all team merchandise and advertising.City attorney Andrew Guilford argued the city entered into a contract with the team's former owner, The Walt Disney Co., in 1996 with the understanding that the name Anaheim Angels would bring the city so-called "impressions" -- the publicity they get each time the Angels play.Guilford said testimony during the trial, which is expected to last a month, would show that contract was worth $100 million to the city. He said the city paid $20 million in stadium renovations and $10 million in billboard publicity as a concession so Disney would put Anaheim in the team name."The evidence will show that is an incredible brand that even Nike would die for," Guilford said. "It's a brand IBM would die for. It's a brand even McDonalds and its golden arches would die for. And that's the logo Anaheim is here to get back."Angels attorneys were expected to make their opening statements Friday afternoon.Moreno, who plans to attend every day of the trial until spring training, has said he changed the name to make the most of the Angels' location in the nation's second-largest media market. He said using Los Angeles in the name would attract more sponsorships, advertising and broadcast contracts.The Angels began play in 1961 as the Los Angeles Angels, becoming the California Angels when the team moved from Los Angeles to Anaheim in 1966. The name was changed to the Anaheim Angels in 1997.Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle refused to attend a single regular-season game after Moreno renamed the team, but he caved when the Angels made the playoffs last year.Hmmm. Just want to repeat one portion of that.The city alleges the 2002 World Series champions breached a contract that promised the word "Anaheim" would be prominently displayed in the Angels' name and on all team merchandise and advertising.That's a new reading of the contract. According to that, the problem isn't that the Angels added LA to the name, but that they aren't using the city name enough in general.Maybe that'll work. I dunno, though. The city doesn't have much of a case - they approved the contract, and Moreno is following the letter of the contract. The city's lawyers negotiated a bad deal, with a huge loophole, and didn't discover that loophole until after the paper was signed. They then tried to renegotiate, but Disney turned them down.Still, should be an interesting case to watch. I'm makin' popcorn. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickV Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I dont see how the Anaheim is gonna prove ANY damage to the city. Didnt the Angels draw over 3 million fans this year and make the playoffs? How is that worth 100 million dollars of damage? Changing the name didnt make any difference. The city doesnt seem to have a case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Here's where Anaheim's case goes down the drain... according to local news, the city, arguing that the name change has done great economic harm, is funding their legal crusade with city revenue generated by... THE VERY TEAM THEY'RE SUING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordie_delini Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Here's where Anaheim's case goes down the drain... according to local news, the city, arguing that the name change has done great economic harm, is funding their legal crusade with city revenue generated by... THE VERY TEAM THEY'RE SUING! ahhhhh southern california......sandy beaches, beautiful women, and one of the worst legal systems in the world.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawk36 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Wish Anaheim had the guts to kick the Angels out of their city. Hey, if the Angels want to be LA, let them play there... NOT IN ANAHEIM! Design Hovie Studios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Wish Anaheim had the guts to kick the Angels out of their city. Hey, if the Angels want to be LA, let them play there... NOT IN ANAHEIM! I would have no problem if the city took that stand, but what irks me as an Angel fan is that the city continues to rake in quite a bit of cash from one of the premiere teams in baseball then complains about the name being changed. They're getting their money out of it, so either give the money up out of principle or stop complaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wman Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 The judge in that wacky state will probably rule they belong to no one. Make them the Califorina Angels and move on. Bring back the Whale! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawk36 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Have the Dodgers ever jumped into this frey? IMO they have a pretty big gripe too being the REAL Los Angeles team who actually plays and does business in LA.Can you imagine the Brewers looking for a bigger market and renaming themselves the Chicago Brewers? Design Hovie Studios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Have the Dodgers ever jumped into this frey? IMO they have a pretty big gripe too being the REAL Los Angeles team who actually plays and does business in LA.Can you imagine the Brewers looking for a bigger market and renaming themselves the Chicago Brewers? The Dodgers refuse to acknowledge the name change, and have gone so far as to convince the Los Angeles city council to pass a resolution saying that the Dodgers are the official and only team of the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 One interesting bit of information to come out of local coverage of the trial is a list of names that Disney was apparently considering for the franchise prior to signing the contract with Anaheim. Said names included:* Anaheim Gargoyles* Orange County Breeze* Pacific Shades* Southern California SurfApparently, after signing the contract, there was some consideration given to naming the team the Almighty Angels of Anaheim.I always find it interesting to learn just what identity packages get by-passed on the way to (re)branding a pro sports team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 I've said it before and I'll say it again.If they have a problem with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, why don't they have a problem with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim?Anaheim is featured the same way in both names... do the people of Mighty, CA go to city council demanding not to be associated with the Ducks too? --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net  "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadSeed84 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Just have them go back to being the Anaheim Angels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Boy Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Just have them go back to being the Anaheim Angels! They need to be the California Angels again. That way every city in the state can be associated with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterE Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 One interesting bit of information to come out of local coverage of the trial is a list of names that Disney was apparently considering for the franchise prior to signing the contract with Anaheim. Said names included:* Anaheim Gargoyles* Orange County Breeze* Pacific Shades* Southern California SurfApparently, after signing the contract, there was some consideration given to naming the team the Almighty Angels of Anaheim.I always find it interesting to learn just what identity packages get by-passed on the way to (re)branding a pro sports team.This Disneyfication of America has gone too far. Are we lucky that plan didn't turn out or what? They planned on naming a major league team after a cheap cartoon on cable back in the 90's-Anaheim Gargoyles.Why not name every team in sports in North America after the movie that was featured in that city. -San Francisco Love Bugs-Field Goal Kicking, Trash Picking Philadelphia Phenomonons-New York Orphan Annies-Boston Tremains-Oregon (Medford) Flubber-Would I like to see Nike make one of these uniforms. Get Ron Santo in the Hall of Fame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubbies06 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Just have them go back to being the Anaheim Angels! They need to be the California Angels again. That way every city in the state can be associated with them. Amen to that-Frank Tannana "We root for the laundry"(Jerome Seinfeld) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian in Boston Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 I've said it before and I'll say it again.If they have a problem with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, why don't they have a problem with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim?Anaheim is featured the same way in both names... do the people of Mighty, CA go to city council demanding not to be associated with the Ducks too? Mighty, CA? Ouch! That's lame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 Have the Dodgers ever jumped into this frey? IMO they have a pretty big gripe too being the REAL Los Angeles team who actually plays and does business in LA.Can you imagine the Brewers looking for a bigger market and renaming themselves the Chicago Brewers? REAL Los Angeles team? Anaheim is a suburb of Los Angeles. They have the same right to the name, Dodger pettiness aside.Your comparison would be legitimate if Milwaukee was part of Chicago's market. But it isn't. Anaheim is part of the LA metroplex, no matter how much they want to pretend that they aren't. The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliec107 Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 There is no problem with wanting to use a bigger cities name. What next? Is Landover going to demand a name change? I can't wait to see the Landover Redskins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gothamite Posted January 16, 2006 Author Share Posted January 16, 2006 Good point. I don't see anyone clamoring for that name change (or any of the others, such as the Giants or the Jets), so what's the fuss about the Los Angeles Angels? The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 I've said it before and I'll say it again.If they have a problem with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, why don't they have a problem with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim? Simple: because when Ducks games are broadcast, they're referred to as "Anaheim." The Angels, meanwhile, are now referred to as "L.A." - on the on-screen scoreboard, by the announcers, etc.I see the city's point here, but Arte found a loophole and drove straight through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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