City of Anaheim v. Angels Baseball LP

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City of Anaheim v. Angels Baseball LP was a lawsuit in California about the Angels’ team name and the lease for Angel Stadium.

Background
- The Angels began as the Los Angeles Angels in 1961, moved to Dodger Stadium, and then settled in Anaheim in 1966, becoming the California Angels. In 1996, a new lease required the team’s name to include “Anaheim” because Anaheim would fund stadium renovations. The team then used the Anaheim Angels name.
- In 1999 Disney became a major owner of the team. In 2003 the team was sold to Arte Moreno. In 2004–2005 the team announced a new name: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, aiming to market to the broader Southern California region. The “of Anaheim” part was kept to satisfy the lease requirement.

The dispute
- Anaheim officials said the name change violated the lease and sued the Angels Baseball L.P. for damages and to force a restoration of the Anaheim Angels name.
- The city tried to get a preliminary injunction to reverse the change, but the court declined.
- The case drew wide attention, with many Orange County leaders and other cities opposing the change, and Disney and Los Angeles supported Anaheim’s position as amici curiae.

Trial and appeals
- The trial began in January 2006. The jury found that the name Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim complied with the lease, so Anaheim did not win monetary damages and there was no order to restore the Anaheim Angels name.
- Anaheim appealed in 2007, seeking costs and to overturn the verdict. In December 2008, a state appellate court issued a split decision that refused to overturn the jury’s verdict or order the team to pay the city’s costs.
- In January 2009, Anaheim’s city council decided not to pursue further appeals.

Aftermath
- In practice, the team marketed itself mainly as the Angels, Angels Baseball, or simply the Angels, with neither “Los Angeles” nor “Anaheim” appearing on uniforms or most merchandise. The official name remained in some materials for a time, but media and the public largely referred to the team as the Los Angeles Angels.
- In 2016, the team officially dropped “of Anaheim” from its name in all branding.
- The dispute did not stop the team from drawing huge crowds or achieving on-field success, including four American League West titles in that period and hosting the 2010 All-Star Game.
- A separate California bill in 2005, called the Truth in Sports Advertising Act, would have required explicit disclosure that the team’s home is Anaheim, but it died in committee.

In short, Anaheim argued the name change violated its lease, but courts ultimately allowed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim name to stand. The team continued to grow in popularity and did not suffer lasting negative effects from the controversy.