Money Talks, and Moreno’s Listening

Angel owner Arte Moreno acknowledged Friday that some fans were unhappy with the team’s name change but said there had been no financial backlash.

No one has canceled a season ticket between the bases or ended a luxury suite lease, he said on the team’s website, Angelsbaseball.com, adding that season ticket sales were up nearly 25% over last year and spring training sales up 50%.

“Obviously, we must be doing something right,” Moreno said in his first public comments since the team dropped the Anaheim Angels name in favor of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim six weeks ago.

Moreno has declined all other interview requests but is expected to chat with fans today at the annual fan festival at Angel Stadium.

The city of Anaheim has sued the Angels, charging that the name change violates the stadium lease. The website story did not mention the lawsuit.

Moreno reiterated that the Los Angeles name would help the Angels “bust out of the small- to mid-market team mold” and generate more revenue from broadcasting and marketing, although he said it was too soon to measure results. He also said the Angels would lose money again this year and took exception to critics who have suggested that a perennial contender, no matter what its name, should generate enough money to finance a profitable operation.

“I’ve been trying to bring it to the championship level, but eventually you will have to balance the books,” he said. “There is more to the whole economic picture than just saying you’ll win a championship and that will generate enough revenue.”

Moreno said fan discontent was not limited to the name change, noting the departure of shortstop David Eckstein, third baseman Troy Glaus and closer Troy Percival, all popular players. Still, the Angels expect to sell 3 million tickets for the third consecutive season, including more than 25,000 season tickets -- up from 12,000 in 2002.

“It’s great the fans look at our economic maneuvering and make their own opinions about it,” Moreno said. “I think, if we were doing everything very poorly, we wouldn’t have the response we’re having to our sales.... I have a saying that I keep in a drawer next to a razor, and I think it fits. It says, ‘The easiest way to failure is to try to please everyone.’ ”