SACRAMENTO ? The California Assembly decided Monday that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are engaged in what amounts to false advertising and approved a bill that would require the team to disclose on their tickets, ads and other promotional material that its home is in Anaheim.

 

The measure, sent to the Senate by a 41-17 vote, also would apply to any other professional team that used a geographic location in its name that did not reflect where it played the greatest number of its games ? unless the team's home city or county agreed to waive the disclosure requirement.

 

Assemblyman Tom Umberg said his bill would expose "deceptiveness in sports advertising." He also said it would protect the interests of Anaheim, which gave the Angels a break on stadium rent in exchange for prominently including the city in the team's name.

 

"This is a taxpayer issue," said Umberg, whose district includes Angel Stadium. "The taxpayers of Anaheim bargained to have their name in a marquee position. The Angels have been very cute by turning it on their head."

 

The Angels began play in 1961 as the Los Angeles Angels, then changed their name to the California Angels when they moved from Los Angeles to Anaheim in 1966. They became the Anaheim Angels in 1997.

 

The team changed its name to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in January, a move team officials said was sparked by a desire to attract more fans, advertisers and broadcast contracts by emphasizing the team's connection to the nation's second-largest media market.

 

The Angels drew 3,375,677 last season, the third-highest total in baseball behind the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.

 

Anaheim is challenging the name change in court, contending it violates terms of the Angels' stadium lease agreement with the city.

 

"Deceptive is a very strong word," Angels spokesman Tim Mead said. "The bottom line for the Angels is we're a month-and-a half into the season and our two primary focuses throughout this whole process has been our performance on the field and maintaining a consistently positive experience for our fans at Angel Stadium of Anaheim."

i could swear of anaheim is in their name.

i could swear of anaheim is in their name.

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Not in the Marquee Position however. MLB shouldn't allow the Angels to be the LA Angels. They are not in Los Angeles anymore.

i could swear of anaheim is in their name.

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Not in the Marquee Position however. MLB shouldn't allow the Angels to be the LA Angels. They are not in Los Angeles anymore.

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Its all a bunch of stupidity anyway. But then again, the politicos in California must be bored and have nothing better to do.

 

 

Who introduced this little bill anyway, I'd be willing to take a guess.

Just go back to calling them the California Angels and that covers all their bases.

Just go back to calling them the California Angels and that covers all their bases.

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yup, Angels have AL rights to San Diego and Los Angeles markets exclusively.

Just go back to calling them the California Angels and that covers all their bases.

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But the taxpayers made a deal for Anaheim... How many more shirts and hats are they actually selling?

What do you expect in a liberal quack state like California?

that was such a bush league move by the club in the first place. if youre deal says you have to be called anaheim, deal with it

calling themselves the Everywhere West of New Jersey Angels might increase their fan base even more. or, if they have to, Everywhere West of New Jersey Angels of Anaheim.