Arte is like a guy who decides he wants to open a restaurant, hires people who understand the business, but then constantly overrules them and does what he wants to do, a year later the business is bleeding money and the owner doesn't understand why, gets mad and fires the people whom he wouldn't allow to do their jobs to begin with.
That's who he is
Arte is far more devious than that. Arte struck gold by parlaying the signing of Pujols' albatross contract in MLB standards for $3 billion from FSW for 20 years. $24o mil for 10 years to swindle $3 billion for 20 years. Putting this into a per year comparison, it's $24 mil per year to $150 mil per year. That's $126 mil extra for 10 years and $150 for the rest of the 10 years.
That TV contract is profit as long as the Angels organization breaks even at ticket sales, merchandise sales, and MLB profit sharing revenue.
The Angels aren't losing Arte money. In fact, as long as he doesn't go over the tax salary cap threshold that could cut into his profits, then Arte is profiting. Remember, he also does have radio contracts that even we don't know about with the international market (Latin America) by changing the prefix location name from Anaheim to Los Angeles.
What makes the Angels self-sustaining is because the Angels drafted Mike Trout. And Trout will retire an Angel.
Because of all that, Arte doesn't care about winning with the Angels, but rather be it's puppet master. That's the reason why former GM Tony Reagins was promoted and Stoneman was kicked to the curb. Eventually, Arte used Reagins as a scapegoat for losing and took a gamble on young Dipoto. Dipoto was able to get the Angels to have three winning seasons out of four years as well as win the AL West, all that with Arte's meddling. But Dipoto grew weary of the lack of control that his job description requires from the organization. Dipoto is the only person to not take Arte's manipulation. New GM Eppler is a yes man. Under Eppler, the Angels have had four consecutive losing seasons. Long time manager Sosh was not brought back under Eppler. Last year's manager Ausmus implemented everything Eppler wanted implemented and Ausmus was made the scapegoat. Eppler will eventually be used as a scapegoat like Reagins before him because if yes men can't win, then Arte will go looking for another because he owns a job opportunity that only 29 other businesses like it exists in America.
Arte if far more devious than a guy not knowing the business. He is a Disney movie character step-mother who knows how to achieve power and power is more important than prestige. Unlike a Disney movie, though, is that there will be no happy ending in reality. As long as the Angels aren't losing him profit, which he can control by having a budget, then he really doesn't care how he runs the Angels b/c there's only 30 businesses like it in America. Moreno wants the feeling of a Steinbrenner, but not willing to overspend like a Steinbrenner.
All the profits that Moreno is and will be collecting from Fox Sports West will be utilized in other ventures to create Arte even more profit. Trout being an Angel for life and the MLB profit sharing revenue are other factors that will ensure the Angels won't be bleeding money. Remember, he just purchased the land all around Angels stadium. Arte will be building apartments and businesses that surround the Angels' home. I doubt the Angels will ever leave the Moreno family if they follow Arte's script of using the Angels to nab more profit. With Arte, power carries far more value than prestige. If Dipoto quitting mid-season was not a wake-up call for Moreno, then nothing will give him a wake-up call.
