Disney Begins Restructuring Angels

On its first day in control of the Angels, the Walt Disney Co. on Wednesday revamped the front office and considered changes in the team’s logo, colors and name.

Tony Tavares--president of Disney Sports Enterprises, which also runs the NHL’s Mighty Ducks--took command as club president, replacing Richard Brown. As expected, Brown, Angel president for six years, was not retained. He receives a three-year severance package worth about $1 million, according to sources.

Disney also laid off about 20 people in several front-office areas, which will now be headed by Mighty Duck employees in similar positions.

Less than 24 hours after the Anaheim City Council approved a stadium renovation plan--the last hurdle in the deal--Disney began restructuring the organization.

Disney, which purchased 25% of the Angels, technically won’t take control until Oct. 1. But company officials, preparing for the takeover for a year, executed many of their plans Wednesday.

Gene and Jackie Autry retain 75% of club ownership but lose their titles as chairman of the board and executive vice president, respectively.

Baseball management, including General Manager Bill Bavasi, Assistant General Manager Tim Mead and Manager Marcel Lachemann, retain their jobs.

“I’m not saying there won’t be changes at some point in the future,� Tavares said. “[Bavasi] knows how we think. I tend to give my people a wide berth, so I can’t speak for Billy [as far as potential changes]. I’ll give him a free hand.�

The bulk of the layoffs came in marketing, sales, finance, accounting, media and community relations and ticketing, Tavares said.

Among the club’s officers let go were Ronald Shirley (vice president and chief financial officer), Joe Schrier (vice president, marketing), John Sevano (assistant vice president, media relations and broadcasting), Tom Seeberg (vice president, civic affairs). Lynn Biggs (assistant vice president, sales) did not reapply with Disney.

The next move will be to ask major league baseball to extend a May 31 deadline to change the Angel logo, colors and the name--from California Angels to possibly Anaheim Angels.

“The name of the team is an open issue, the colors of the team are an open issue, the mascots definitely are not,� Tavares said.

The Angels have two bears as mascots, but Tavares would like a more marketable mascot--such as the Mighty Ducks’ Wild Wing.

“Everything is up for discussion,� he said. “With the Ducks, I threw up 17 times before I saw something I liked. Remember, I thought the name Mighty Ducks was stupid. . . .

“At this point, I don’t anticipate any further front-office changes.�

Three weeks ago, Disney asked the Angel front-office staff to resign and reapply for a list of jobs. Tavares interviewed employees. Hirings were announced Wednesday after being delayed until after the city council meeting Tuesday.

“It’s been almost a year and these guys have been hanging,� Brown said. “If you put it to the state Supreme Court, it would be cruel and unusual punishment.�

Rumors have circulated throughout the organization since the city and Disney reached a tentative agreement on April 3. The concern extended all the way to the players. Before leaving on a 10-day trip Monday, relief pitchers Troy Percival and Mike James dropped by the offices to offer support. “They came to say goodbye and said they hoped we’d still be here when they got back,� said one staff member.

Some staff members were told Friday not to return this week.

“The only good thing is that all but a handful of employees knew one way or another where they stood,� Brown said.

Employees who were not retained will receive one week’s pay for every year with the team, a source said.

Stadium employees--ushers, ticket takers, ticket sellers and janitors--will learn their fate as soon as August. They are under contract with the city through the remainder of the season and must reapply with Disney.

“I want to sit with Greg Smith [Anaheim Stadium general manager] to discuss performance standards for ushers, ticket takers, people like that, to say, ‘Here’s what’s expected, here’s how we do things,’ � Tavares said.

Times staff writers Mike DiGiovanna and Mike Penner contributed to this story.