What Stan Kroenke’s Rams Ownership Tells Us About the Future of the Angels

What can Angels fans expect from Stan Kroenke? From his hands-off style to a culture of excellence, here is how his Rams ownership predicts the Angels' future.

Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke raises the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The Los Angeles Angels have been sold to Rams owner Stan Kroenke, adding to the Walmart heir's burgeoning and increasingly successful sports portfolio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Angels fans are fresh with optimism now that Stan Kroenke is taking over the team. But there is also a lot of uncertainty as the franchise looks to revamp its front office structure, find quality candidates, and emerge from a long overdue rebuild to once again become a winner. How might all of that happen under Kroenke?

Given the fact Kroenke has won championships in every major American sports league plus one with Arsenal in the UK, it makes sense to look at how he runs his other franchises to see what Kroenke has done well and not so well and see how that applies to the Angels.

In part one of the series, we look at how Kroenke has run the Los Angels Rams, winners of the 2022 Super Bowl and occupant of one of the most state of the art stadiums in the world, with the help of Rams on SI writer Blaine Grisak.

Stank Kroenke became 100% owner of the Rams in August of 2010 with an openly stated goal of relocating the team back to the LA area. At that time he inherited a roster full of veterans and Steve Spagnuolo was the head coach. After one season, the Rams brough in Jeff Fisher to lead the team and failed to make the playoffs through the 2016 season.

The Rams Front Office Reset of 2017

Mired in mediocrity, the Kronke group did a full reset of the Rams front office similar to the one taking place in Anaheim this off season. It was a complete makeover from the top to the bottom and it yielded nearly immediate results.

Step one was brining in Les Snead as General Manager. This was not a flashy hire, but it was an excellent one. At the time, Snead brought 17 years of front office experience with him. 14 years as a scout were followed by three years as the Atlanta Falcons Director of Player Personnel.

In this top executive role, Snead oversaw both college and pro scouting efforts. He was a principal architect in constructing rosters that won 43 games over a four-year stretch, secured three playoff berths and established a consistent winning culture. He worked directly under noted personnel executives Thomas Dimitroff and Rich McKay.

Snead was mentored by great minds, was an expert at salary structures, and was able to combine his scouting experience with his executive training to become a top notch GM. Snead then hired young offensive mastermind Sean McVay, injected high quality talent into the roster, and created a perennial playoff team that captured a Vince Lombardi trophy.

This hire bodes well for a candidate like Randy Flores in Anaheim. Flores similarly built his executive foundation on talent evaluation, served as a trusted scout and climbed the ranks to head the St. Louis Cardinals’ scouting department. Like Snead, his core qualification is a proven eye for talent, rather than just an administrative background.

The Hands Off Approach: Why Stan Kroenke Empowers Football People to Make Baseball Decisions

Jun 2, 2026; Woodland Hills, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett (95) poses with general manager Les Snead (left) and coach Sean McVay at press conference at Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unlike many sports owners, Kroenke stays out of the spotlight and allows his executives to make decisions. He trusts his staff to hire the right leadership group then supports them rather than overriding them.

"I think one of Kroenke’s biggest strengths with the Rams is that he’s allowed the football people to make the football decisions and do their jobs'" explained Grisak. "This can come off as if he’s too hands off, but he’s not an overly involved owner  like Jerry Jones."

It is easy to draw comparision's to the NFL's Jerry Jones and the way Arte Moreno ran the Angels. Jones loves the spotlight and acts as GM of his team. Moreno is famous for nixing trades that could have helped the Angels and blowing the budget on aging veterans when the team had other, more pressing needs.

This is not to say Kroenke is fully absent as an owner. He is available and willing to give guidance when asked, but overall prefers to let his experts be experts.

"He’s consulted on big moves, but he trusts those in diversion-making positions to do their jobs," says Grisak. 

Lessons from St. Louis: The Relocation Communication Breakdown Angels Fans Must Know

In looking for a mistake that Kroenke made while running the Rams, Grisak pointed out to the way the relocation of the franchise was handled. The community in St. Louis is angry with Kroenke not just for taking the team but how the entire situation was handled.

"His biggest mistake, from simply a communication stand point, was the relocation from St. Louis to Los Angeles," stated Rams expert Blaine Grisak. "I won’t get too much into it, but there’s a reason the city of St. Louis sued Kroenke and won a large settlement."

While most people expect Kroenke to develop the current location of Angels Stadium that is no guarantee. He is a real estate developer at heart who owns a lot that could host a stadium in Inglewood and has the means to buy any other lot he desires.

As of now the risk of the Angels leaving Anaheim looks to be minimal, but if it happens, do not expect Kroenke to be transparent during the process.

A Culture of Excellence: Why Angels Fans Can Expect Championship Standards Under Kroenke

Dec 29, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke on the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If there is one consistent thread in the Kroenke sports empire it is winning. Every major franchise owned by the Kroenke Sports and Entertainment Group has won a championship and had a years long contention window. His Colorado Avalanche are arguably the best run franchise in the NHL and the Denver Nuggets have a title.

And then there are the talented Rams who have both won a title and made the playoffs in 7 seasons since the front office makeover. In his estimation, Grisak thinks Angels fans can expect their favorite team to join this list of well run franchises.

"I think they can expect an owner who will expect good results, but remain in the shadows," said Grisak. "It isn’t a coincidence that Arsenal, the Rams, Nuggets, and Avalanche are all among the most competitive teams in their leagues and playing for trophies. Thats someone who understands how to get the best out of the people he hires."

Well run franchises with prolonged contention windows are attactive destinations for free agents and the prize of this year's class, Tarik Skubal, has stated the perception of the Halos is already changing among players.

If Grisak is right, Angels fans are beginning what should be a great adventure. I think every fan would love 7 playoff appearances in 9 years, one title, and multiple playoff wins.