State House Passes Bill Requiring Angels To Disclose Home

California Bill Aimed At Giving Team Geography Lesson

The California State Assembly voted 52-17 to approve the Truth in Sports Advertising Act, a bill that “would require the Angels to include disclaimers on tickets and ads informing fans” that the team plays in Anaheim, not L.A., according to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. TIMES. There were 11 abstentions. Assembly member Tom Umberg, who authored the bill and represents the Angel Stadium district, expects the Senate to pass the bill (L.A. TIMES, 5/17). The bill would require the Angels to make the disclosure “on wording at least a foot high on billboards and in smaller type on tickets, ads and promotions.” TV ads would have to include the “disclosure for at least five seconds against a black background,” and disclosure on radio ads would have to be read at an “understandable pace” (O.C. REGISTER, 5/17).

CAN OF WORMS? The AP’s Steve Lawrence notes the bill “would apply to any professional team that used a geographic location in its name that did not reflect where it played a plurality of its games — unless the team’s home city or county agreed to waive the disclosure requirement” (AP, 5/17). Assembly member Chuck DeVore, the only member of the Orange County delegation to oppose the bill, said that the measure “would create unforeseen problems for several other franchises that play outside their namesake city” (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 5/17). Assembly member Ray Haynes: “This is a private dispute between the city of Anaheim and the owners of the Angels. This is an absolutely foolish bill” (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/17).

TRUE BLUE: In California, Allison Ann Otto noted the Dodgers “continue to not recognize the Angels’ name change.” Before a game last Sunday, the Dodger Stadium PA announcer “hyped the Dodgers’ upcoming series with the ‘Angels of Anaheim,’ and the out-of-town scoreboard refers to the Angels simply as Anaheim” (PRESS-ENTERPRISE, 5/16).