Mouse That Saved the Angels? : Disney’s role could bode well for the baseball team, Anaheim and the region

The announcement that the Walt Disney Co. will acquire 25% of the California Angels, control daily operations and have an option to buy the rest of the team seems to reflect a good fit for the region. Orange County is due for a pro championship or two, and though there is no guarantee of a World Series victory anytime soon, plans that suggest commitment and stability give Angel fans reason to hope.

Much of the big sports news in Southern California in recent years has taken place off the field, and much of that unfortunately has had to do with strikes and the unsettled plans of major franchises.

Bringing the Disney interest into one of the region’s three major league teams appears to keep the Angels in place. The team’s management, looking to the post-Gene Autry era, has been uneasy about what the City of Anaheim would do for the Angels. The Disney agreement also gives a lift to the city’s ambitious plans to have a major sporting and retail complex around Anaheim Stadium and the Pond. Even the idea of a new baseball-only stadium in the area has been discussed.

Disney already has made a successful foray into pro sports with the launching of the Mighty Ducks hockey team. The company did so when it appeared that Anaheim would be stuck without a major tenant for its indoor arena. The company has a proven presence in Orange County--a presence that looks even better nowadays in view of business setbacks in Europe. The fortunes of Disney and Anaheim have been linked productively for many years, and each still seems to offer something very beneficial for the other.

During the recession-plagued early 1990s, Anaheim was searching for ways to secure its future as an entertainment center by connecting its various sports and leisure-time enterprises, and Disney has turned out to be the “go-to” player in that strategy. The city was hamstrung by uncertainty over the future of the Rams, but now that the football team is gone the new Angels development could give the city a boost as a sports venue.

Having Disney on the baseball field surely will involve marketing efforts linking sporting events and its theme park. With baseball attendance lagging in many places after the recent strike, Mickey Mouse and company could provide some needed pizazz to bring back customers.

Of course, the now-familiar question for Southern California pro sports franchises in recent years will remain unanswered: Can you field a winner on the field of dreams? Here’s hoping that this promising new alliance will bear fruit down the road, creating a championship tradition in Anaheim. That would be the best marketing device of all.