10 Reasons the Dodgers Will Own Los Angeles Even If/When the Angels Move in

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim began their franchise in 1961 in the city of Los Angeles. Their numerous logo and name changes (Los Angeles to California to Anaheim to Los Angeles of Anaheim) have been well documented.

The Daily News reported that Angels owner Arte Moreno met with AEG President Tim Leiweke in April. The details of the meeting have not been disclosed, but one can speculate it may have been either Moreno or Leiweke putting out feelers to see if there was any interest in relocating to the downtown area.

Again, this is merely speculation, but there is a lot of support backing up what Moreno and Leiweke may have been discussing. For a good read on the situation surrounding the Angels, their stadium situation, and their involvement with AEG, I recommend you read this article from the LA Times.

What if the Angels did move to the city of Los Angeles; not just within the city, but to downtown Los Angeles? Would that be beneficial for the Angels franchise?

The Los Angeles fan base, especially with new ownership, is too devoted to the Dodgers to allow the Angels franchise to thrive in their city.

Here are ten reasons why the Dodgers would still own Los Angeles even if they had the Angels as next door neighbors.

10. Tradition

The last 24 years are not considered to be successful for the Dodgers. In taking a look at their marketing campaigns over the last few years, it's easy to see what the franchise considers to be its greatest asset: tradition.

Fernando-mania, Sandy Koufax, Orel Hershiser, and Kirk Gibson items are routinely part of stadium giveaways. The storied franchise has a tradition that keeps generations coming back to the stadium time and time again.

9. The Angels Are Still Searching for an Identity

As mentioned in the introduction, the Angels have a history of change. While the Dodgers have been known as the Los Angeles Dodgers since 1958, the Angels have had an identity crisis.

From 1961 to 1965 they were the Los Angeles Angels. In 1965 they changed to the California Angels. 1997 rang in the Anaheim Angels era. Finally, in 2005, the franchise became the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Fans do not like instability. They want their teams to maintain some sort of consistency through the years. The Angels have not only changed their city in which they identify with, they have also changed their uniform numerous times.

The Dodgers have made subtle changes to their uniform over the years. The ones they wear today are almost identical to the ones they wore in the late 1930s.

8. The Memory of Frank McCourt Will Be Gone by the Year 2016

The Angels can get out of their lease in Anaheim in 2016. If a move to downtown were to have happened during the Frank McCourt era, there is no reason why they would not have been able to capture a great percentage of the Dodger fan base.

Four years from now, Dodger fans will be reaping the rewards of the new ownership and Frank McCourt will be a distant memory. This will further solidify the loyalty of Dodger fans.

7. The Majority of Angels Fans Are in Orange County

Yes, the Angels were born in Los Angeles, but they are representing Orange County.

Most of us understand why Arte Moreno wanted Los Angeles in the Angels name. He wanted to capitalize on the marketing dollars that come with being associated with the city of Los Angeles.

The removal of Anaheim from all uniforms and apparel still stings the residents of Orange County, and for good reason.

It's one thing for Dodger fans to be fed up with the McCourts and travel to Anaheim a few times a year for an Angels game, but Angels fans are not going to commute from Orange County to downtown Los Angeles to watch the Angels play.

The fans in and around Anaheim have done a good job of overlooking Moreno getting rid of "Anaheim" from the uniforms, but to move the team to Los Angeles would be devastating for those fans.

6. The Dodgers Are Synonymous with Downtown L.A.

Downtown Los Angeles and the Dodgers go hand in hand. Much like the Lakers are synonymous with the city of Los Angeles, the Dodgers are even more so.

It would be nearly impossible for the Angels to move to downtown Los Angeles and bring in the majority of fans in the surrounding areas to support them.

If anything, the move would promote a very intense rivalry between the two teams. That has not been the case with them being where they are situated now.

5. Dodger Fans Will Not Support the Angels Moving to the City

It remains to be seen how much attendance will improve with new ownership taking over the Dodgers. Nearly 44,000 took in the game Monday night against the Giants in what was the first home game under Magic Johnson's group of investors.

The dollar is already being stretched thin in and around Los Angeles. Dodger fans are going to have to choose between their beloved team or the Angels. 

The only time Dodger fans would venture to the potential Angels stadium in downtown L.A. would be when the Dodgers played there or another American League team with a large fan base visited.

4. Dodger Stadium Renovations May Be Complete by 2016

Dodger fans may potentially visit the new Angels stadium in downtown L.A. because it is something new. If you're a baseball fan and a brand new stadium opens up near you, you're going to go.

Part of the excitement for a new baseball stadium may be lost in the buzz over the renovations that will be done to Dodger Stadium. One would have to believe the new owners will take most of 2012 to get opinions from fans and lay out a plan as to what they want to do with Dodger Stadium.

The year 2016 would be a good guess as to when those dramatic renovations would be done, and if it coincided with the Angels new stadium, it wouldn't be an issue Dodger fans would leave their boys in blue for.

Dodger fans love Dodger Stadium, but realistically, they know things need to be done to enhance the game day experience.

3. A Move Would Be a Slap in the Face to the Residents of Orange County

This was touched upon in reason number seven, but a big reason why the Dodgers would still own Los Angeles if the Angels moved to the city is because a major portion of their large fan base would not make the trek from Anaheim to Los Angeles.

Residents in Orange County already have to deal with having to cheer for a team now known as a "Los Angeles" team (even though they don't play in Los Angeles County). If Moreno relocated the team to the city, that would be enough (and justifiably so) for many of those same fans to throw in the towel.

If you aren't from Southern California it may be hard to understand why it is such a big deal where the team has its stadium considering L.A. County and Orange County are relatively close to each other. The reason is because each county is so diverse and unique.

2. Matt Kemp/Clayton Kershaw > Albert Pujols/Jered Weaver

When it all comes down to the success of a franchise, it's the on-field product that eventually serves as the benchmark.

Taking a look at four years down the road, the faces of the Dodger franchise looks more optimistic than the faces of the Angel franchise.

Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw will both be in the prime of their careers in 2016. Albert Pujols is going to be on the decline (if he isn't already), and Jered Weaver is six years older than Clayton Kershaw. 

Granted, things are going to change over the next four years with regards to the roster of each team, but the way it looks now, the Dodgers will have the team with the star power around the time the Angels can move to Los Angeles.

1. Dodgers Ownership

This list would not be possible if it weren't for the Guggenheim Partners purchasing the team, because as loyal as Dodger fans are, the hatred for Frank McCourt could not be overlooked.

The 2011 season was as close as you could get to a fan boycott. If McCourt was somehow able to continue to run this team into the ground during the same time the Angels were moving to Los Angeles, the Dodgers would have taken a hit they may never have recovered from.

Now that Guggenheim Partners own the team and Magic Johnson has become the face of the franchise, there is nothing the Angels, nor any other Major League Baseball team can do to pose a threat to the Dodgers in the city of Los Angeles.

The Angels can move across the street from Dodger Stadium and it would not have an affect on this new chapter of the Dodgers franchise.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will own Los Angeles today, tomorrow, and as far out as we can project into the future, regardless of any relocation plans the Angels may have.

Follow Joe Chacon on Twitter (@JoeChacon)