ANAHEIM — If Molly Jolly had any question about the challenges of the job she was about to undertake, they were answered emphatically just before the Angels’ home opener on Friday.
John Carpino, who officially handed over the reins as the Angels’ president on Monday, was introduced to throw out the first pitch.
Fans booed loudly.
Carpino, who retired after more than 16 years in the job, became so closely associated with owner Arte Moreno that frustrated fans took the opportunity to let him know how they felt about the club’s direction for the past decade.
A few minutes after Carpino received his negative reception, Jolly was introduced and she was greeted with cheers. They seemed to be willing to give her a clean slate.
Jolly, who had been the senior vice president in charge of finance and administration, knows she is stepping into an environment in which the customers want change. She’s ready for it.
“While I’ve been here for 25 years, really the first thing I want to do is listen and learn, because I have kind of a fresh lens, in that I’m in a different role,” Jolly said. “From there, we’ll start to see some changes, or refinements.”
Jolly, the first woman to hold the president title with the Angels, said it’s too early to say what those changes might be, but her ultimate goal is to “elevate the brand, elevate how we operate.”
That would start, of course, with winning.
The Angels have not made the postseason since 2014, and they haven’t had a winning season since 2015.
Many of the baseball decisions that led to this decade of disappointment can be traced back to Moreno. Those around and within the organization aren’t expecting any change in the way Moreno operates, regardless of who has the title of club president.
Moreno is still expected to involve himself in decisions that owners of other teams would leave to their baseball operations people.
So the big question facing Jolly – one that was likely difficult for her to answer, practically and politically – is whether she can improve that process as an intermediary.
“I’ve worked for Arte for a number of years,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of conversations, and he has said that this is the team for me. I’m the president of the team, and I feel empowered to lead accordingly, and he has the trust in me, so I do feel confident that I have that capacity, ability and authority.”
Jolly’s job description in the media guide makes no mention of baseball operations. Carpino’s didn’t either.
“In her role, she will oversee the day-to-day operations of the club, including strategic direction, marketing, communications, administration, facility management, revenue, and overall business strategy,” according to the media guide.
There is at least one significant way, though, that she can impact the product on the field. She can drive revenue.
In an interview in February, Moreno made no secret of the fact that the recent reductions in payroll were related to the changing television landscape. Their payroll is at least $50 million less than it was last year, leaving a roster that is again projected to finish in last place in the five-team American League West.
The Angels now make significantly less money from television than they did a few years ago. The organization recently purchased a portion of the regional sports network that had been airing its games. By running the network themselves, they have a new business model. They can generate money directly from subscribers and advertisers, rather than relying on the rights fee from a third party.
Jolly said she’s not sure if the lost revenue can be replaced under the new system.
“That’s a great question,” she said. “I think the eyeballs are still there. There’s still viewership in the marketplace, but the traditional methods of delivery have changed. I think all sports teams are going through that process of figuring out how it gets reconstructed. And that’s why having control of the RSN is valuable for us, because we’ll be in a position to do that.”
Another hot-button topic for fans that will fall under Jolly’s job description is the ballpark. Angel Stadium is now the fourth-oldest park in the majors. The Angels currently have a lease with the city of Anaheim to remain there through at least 2032.
The team has put millions into cosmetic renovations – like painting, the Diamond Club and the parking lots – but more cooperation with the city will be necessary to fund any major renovations or even a new stadium.
Jolly said she has had a good relationship for years with Anaheim mayor Ashleigh Aitken.
“We love Anaheim,” Jolly said. “We partner literally every day with the city of Anaheim.”
Jolly also made a point of reframing the controversial comments made by Moreno in February. Moreno said there are fans whose priority is “affordability” over “winning.”
“I think everyone cares about winning,” Jolly said. “The players do, our fans do, but we also want to win on the field and we want to win off the field. Winning off the field is how we present to the fans, what the offering is when they come (to Angel Stadium), that they have a good time, that it’s affordable. Those are core values that are equally as important to us, but winning on the field is a top priority for Arte and it has been always.”