Disney, Autrys Reach Deal to Sell 25% of the Angels : Baseball: Firm will take over daily operation of club, with option to buy the rest of the team later.

The Walt Disney Co. and the California Angels announced Thursday that the entertainment giant has agreed in principle to buy a 25% interest in the baseball team and an option to purchase the rest of the team at a later date.

The prepared statement said Disney would “assume the role of managing general partner,” but did not specify when.

“When the deal is consummated, Disney will be the managing partner and run the day-to-day operations of the baseball club,” said Richard M. Brown, Angel president and chief executive officer. “There will be a lot of discourse over the next several months.

The Angels have been for sale for more than a year, and as recently as May 5, Peter V. Ueberroth, the former baseball commissioner and president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the 1984 Games, was considered the front-runner.

At the time, he said, “The only thing left to work out is the terms,” which were believed to be a 25% interest for $30 million with an option to buy the rest of the team upon the death of its founding owner, Gene Autry, 87. Jackie Autry, Gene’s wife, had said earlier that majority ownership of the team would not be sold during his lifetime.

“We were disappointed that our bid was not accepted, and we’ve been told that the Disney offer exceeded ours,” Ueberroth said Thursday.

Disney officials would not comment on the terms of their agreement.

“We have made an offer to acquire 25% of the California Angels, subject to approval by major league baseball,” said Bill Robertson, spokesman for Disney Sports Enterprises. “It would be inappropriate to get involved in any other details at this time.”

Brown said he doubted that there would be any trouble gaining the approval of other baseball owners. He said the sale is a boon for Disney and the team.

“Teams that are owned by individuals [such as the Angels], who don’t have their own stadium, are always going to have a difficult time competing,” Brown said.

The Angels will be Disney’s second foray into professional team sports. The firm bought an expansion National Hockey League franchise in December, 1992, and named the team the Mighty Ducks, after a Disney movie. A more recent Disney movie was titled “Angels in the Outfield” and featured the California Angels.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly called the pending sale great news.

“If Disney’s approach to managing the Angels is even close to their success of managing the Ducks, the future looks real bright,” he said.

The Disney touch applied to professional hockey has meant an emphasis on entertainment beyond the game itself. Fans at Duck games watch the mascot, Wild Wing, descend from the rafters before the game, participate in trivia contests during breaks, their faces beaming out from the Jumbotron television screen, and watch animated shorts depicting action on the ice.

“We will create a number of concepts to develop synergies between the Angels and various Disney entities, including Disneyland and the Mighty Ducks,” said the Disney announcement. “And we plan to create a total entertainment experience for baseball fans just as we have for hockey fans.”

Anaheim City Manager James D. Ruth said the deal will help push the city’s plans to build a sports and retail district around Anaheim Stadium. He added that the deal eases some of pain of the Los Angeles Rams’ recent departure to St. Louis and Disney’s decision to trim its $3-billion theme park expansion project.

The Angels were an expansion franchise in the American League in 1961 and played their first few seasons in Los Angeles, first at the old Wrigley Field, then at Dodger Stadium. They moved to Anaheim Stadium in 1966.