SANTA ANA, Calif. ? (AP) ? Angels owner Arte Moreno violated a 10-year-old contract with Anaheim and the city lost $100 million in tourism revenue and publicity when he changed the team's name last year, a city attorney said Friday.

 

A packed courtroom watched as the much-anticipated trial pitting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim against the city of Anaheim began. Curious fans were on hand, some wearing T-shirts that read ??We Are Not L.A.''

 

The city sued the Angels after Moreno changed the club's name from the Anaheim Angels last January. The city alleges the 2002 World Series champions breached a contract that promised the word Anaheim would be prominently displayed in the Angels' name and on all team merchandise and advertising.

 

Attorney Andrew Guilford argued that the city entered into a contract with the team's former owner, The Walt Disney Co., in 1996 with the understanding that the name Anaheim Angels would bring the city billions of so-called ??impressions'' ? the publicity it would get each time the Angels played or had their name mentioned by the media.

 

He said when Moreno bought the team in 2003 that contract was still binding.

 

Guilford argued that the Angels violated that deal as part of an overall branding campaign for the Angels that included the name change. In addition to adding Los Angeles to the name, he argued, team officials began removing the word Anaheim from all team merchandise, press releases and advertising as early as 2003. Guilford said he would present internal team memos and e-mails to show that.

 

Guilford said testimony during the trial, which is expected to last a month, would show the city's contract with the team was valued at $100 million in 1996 and that the city estimated it gave up another $100 million in concessions to Disney to get the word Anaheim in its name. The city paid $20 million for stadium renovations and $10 million in billboard publicity and gave up land worth millions as part of the deal, he said.

 

"That is an incredible brand that even Nike would die for,'' Guilford said. "It's a brand IBM would die for. It's

a brand even McDonalds and its golden arches would die for. And that's the logo Anaheim is here to get back.''

 

Angels attorneys were expected to make their opening statements Friday afternoon.

 

Moreno, who was present in court Friday with his family, has said he changed the name to make the most of the Angels' location in the nation's second-largest media market. He said using Los Angeles in the name would attract more sponsorships, advertising and broadcast contracts.

 

Moreno, who is expected to testify during the trial, had no comment on Friday's proceedings.

 

The Angels began play in 1961 as the Los Angeles Angels, becoming the California Angels when the team moved from Los Angeles to Anaheim in 1966. The name was changed to the Anaheim Angels in 1997.

 

At least a dozen fans attended the first day of the trial, which was held in one of the court's largest courtrooms to accommodate the crowd. Some fans wore Angels T-shirts and others clapped softly when the Anaheim City Council and mayor were introduced.

 

Fan Sergio Lopez, 33, said he took some time off from his job as a marketing assistant to hear the opening statements because he couldn't understand why Moreno added Los Angeles to the team's name.

 

"Los Angeles has always been our crosstown rivals. It's like, what's going on?'' said Lopez, who wore a red T-shirt bearing an anti-L.A. logo. "Arte needs to honor the contract.''

Hmm, interesting, will they change back to Anaheim Angels then, I like it better anyway..

I hope they go back to Anaheim Angels. Right now their name is the laughingstock of MLB.

I hope they go back to Anaheim Angels. Right now their name is the laughingstock of MLB.

 

Does anyone really care about it anymore?

I hope they go back to Anaheim Angels. Right now their name is the laughingstock of MLB.

 

Does anyone really care about it anymore?

Sure they do.

 

Yesterday on XM radio a fan referred to the Cardinals as the Los Angeles Cardinals of St. Louis. The hosts got a big laugh out of it. The name sounds flat out retarded.

The Marlins could certainly change their name to the Miami Marlins of Florida.

 

This name change is a joke to me. It sounds awful.

If everyone is in such a fervor over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (and I think it sounds ridiculous too) what happens when it becomes "Ameriquest presents the Kansas City Royals" ?

 

And it's still not as bad as soccer jerseys featuring the logo of their sponsor prominently across the chest.

The Mets have officially changed their name to the Flushing Queens Mets of New York.

MLB should make a rule that teams can only have one city in their name.

 

If Miami loses the Marlins, the city could always make a deal with the Angels to somehow incorperate Miami in their name? :mischief2

MLB should make a rule that teams can only have one city in their name.

 

If Miami loses the Marlins, the city could always make a deal with the Angels to somehow incorperate Miami in their name? :mischief2

 

 

Hey if we lose the Marlins the city could start courting the Angels if they decide to leave Anaheim when their lease is up in the mid 2010s I believe :mischief .

MLB should make a rule that teams can only have one city in their name.

 

If Miami loses the Marlins, the city could always make a deal with the Angels to somehow incorperate Miami in their name? :mischief2

 

 

Miami has never had the Marlins.

if marketing the club to los angeles brings in more revenue, i hope they have to change their name back.

 

arte moreno is like steinbrenner west.

The New York Giants of New Jersey.