“San Diego has been our home for 56 years. It will always be part of our identity, and my family and I have nothing but gratitude and appreciation for the support and passion our fans have shared with us over the years. But today, we turn the page and begin an exciting new era as the Los Angeles Chargers,” Spanos said in the letter.
For more than a decade, the San Diego Chargers have worked diligently toward finding a local stadium solution, which all sides agreed was required,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement Thursday, pointing out that the Chargers delayed exercising the option to move to LA that was granted a year ago. “The Chargers worked tirelessly this past year with local officials and community leaders on a ballot initiative that fell short on election day. That work – and the years of effort that preceded it – reflects our strongly held belief we always should do everything we can to keep a franchise in its community. That’s why we have a deliberate and thoughtful process for making these decisions."
“Relocation is painful for teams and communities. It is especially painful for fans, and the fans in San Diego have given the Chargers strong and loyal support for more than 50 years, which makes it even more disappointing that we could not solve the stadium issue. As difficult as the news is for Charger fans, I know Dean Spanos and his family did everything they could to try to find a viable solution in San Diego.”
The statement that changed the landscape for sports in San Diego. That how fans began this year called 2017. Looking back it was the emotions of the fans that really struck out. Some with anger, grief and denial. Some would boycott the NFL and rooted against the Chargers to seek revenge on Dean Spanos. Some blamed the city and will continue to support.Others will support only until Rivers and Gates retires.
The 7 stages of grief took a hold of fans as they did the unthinkable and burned their jerseys at the complex. The police were called several times for protection against unruly fans. January 12, 2017 Dean Spanos became the most hated man in San Diego.
The biggest mistake of 2017 is the way the team handled the announcement. If they choose to handle it better a different result I'm sure would have come out of it. A statement on Twitter saying goodbye after 55 years is cowardliness.
San Diego had ridden itself from the Spanos family and a check for relocation for $12.6 million dollars was written to the city. 307,000 voted enough is enough as the city still has to be the debt on the bonds which is $45 million dollars from the 1997 approval.
Dean and his 2 dumb and dumber kids hit the LA airwaves saying they need to Fight For LA. They released a logo that looked like the LA Dodgers logo. They changed it a couple of times. They held a Welcome to LA Rally in which face palmed pretty bad. That is the moment Joseph flipped Dean off. Joseph would later start a go fund me account to raise money to fly a plane over LA with a message to Dean from the fans.
Other events as holding a meet up at Pink hot dogs and giving out free tattoos seemed desperate and showed how little Dean Spanos knows about marketing.
The most awkward of this beginning of the relocation was the team was still going to work out in San Diego while they waiting for the new complex in Costa Mesa. Training camp would mark their introduction to LA in mid July.
As February went into April fans took this time to reflect while others took it to lash out at other fans. A popular yet stupid as hell mantra began that your either a city fan or a team fan. I personally saw friendships end over the feelings of the move.
In April as a normal season would have fans gathered all around town glued to their TV sets with 50 different mock drafts available. A lot of fans didn't watch the draft this year. They were staying committed to washing their hands with the team. Others watched with the usual passion displayed in previous years. But then there is that group that "hate watches". These are former fans that wish nothing but bad wishes to the team because of their hate for Dean Spanos.
As Preseason approached the team generated no excitement in their new digs of LA. Yes they has fans probably averaging about 15,000 to 20,000 in a city of 3.97 million. Stubhub provided a experience never felt before in a NFL setting. However, there were lost in between everything else in LA. They looked to be the forgotten team without a city.
However, a front office that lost 65% of their employees and an entire football team looking for real estate in LA the offseason was clearly anything but relaxing. That showed as the team started 0-4 and the 27,000 seat soccer field was filled with opposing fans.
Let's make one thing very clear. The TEAM sold those tickets to the ticket brokers who then resold them to opposing fans. It was not the fans who sold their tickets.
The coaching staff deserves a medal for keeping a young football team together and fighting through a slow start to the season. Today is 11 months since the announcement to move to LA. The Chargers are 8-7 and are down to the final week of the season to clinch a wildcard berth. They would be only the 2nd team in NFL history to go 0-4 and reach the playoffs. The first team was the 1992 chargers team.
Meanwhile in San Diego, It came out that the Mayor was lying to the team and the voters for the entire year of 2016. He was meeting with investors about a 2nd option for Mission Valley to build a soccer stadium. Chris Cate a major voice for the opposition of measure C is now being investigated and could be removed from office for leaking top secret memos to the FS investors.Ron Roberts got called out by his fellow county supervisors that he had no authority whatsoever to offer the chargers a dime in county money. He offered 121 million that they now hope to relieve the homeless epidemic and hepatitis A infections that the mayor ignored and let explode so it wouldn't affect his convention center expansion. That resulted in 20 people dying in the city.
So as 2017 enters into 2018. Here is what we know. The Chargers are not leaving LA. They are there to stay despite the dreams of some fans here. The other is San Diego sports will never be the same as before. San Diego will go to vote in November of 2018 on 2 different plans for Mission Valley. One is the MLS plan and the other is a SDSU expansion. Whatever plan gets more than 50% of the vote wins. If they both get 50% the one with the most votes win. If neither get 50% then The Murph sits and rots at a expense of 15 million dollars a year. The Mayor has said there will be no more events planned at the stadium past December 31, 2018. The mayor leaves office after the election in 2020.
Reminder: You can listen to Charger talk every Saturday from 3-5pst. "Sports On Tap" with Dave Peters and his co-hosts Gregg Williams and myself at www.wblzmedia.com. A show for the fans from charger fans.
The most awkward of this beginning of the relocation was the team was still going to work out in San Diego while they waiting for the new complex in Costa Mesa. Training camp would mark their introduction to LA in mid July.
As February went into April fans took this time to reflect while others took it to lash out at other fans. A popular yet stupid as hell mantra began that your either a city fan or a team fan. I personally saw friendships end over the feelings of the move.
In April as a normal season would have fans gathered all around town glued to their TV sets with 50 different mock drafts available. A lot of fans didn't watch the draft this year. They were staying committed to washing their hands with the team. Others watched with the usual passion displayed in previous years. But then there is that group that "hate watches". These are former fans that wish nothing but bad wishes to the team because of their hate for Dean Spanos.
As Preseason approached the team generated no excitement in their new digs of LA. Yes they has fans probably averaging about 15,000 to 20,000 in a city of 3.97 million. Stubhub provided a experience never felt before in a NFL setting. However, there were lost in between everything else in LA. They looked to be the forgotten team without a city.
However, a front office that lost 65% of their employees and an entire football team looking for real estate in LA the offseason was clearly anything but relaxing. That showed as the team started 0-4 and the 27,000 seat soccer field was filled with opposing fans.
Let's make one thing very clear. The TEAM sold those tickets to the ticket brokers who then resold them to opposing fans. It was not the fans who sold their tickets.
The coaching staff deserves a medal for keeping a young football team together and fighting through a slow start to the season. Today is 11 months since the announcement to move to LA. The Chargers are 8-7 and are down to the final week of the season to clinch a wildcard berth. They would be only the 2nd team in NFL history to go 0-4 and reach the playoffs. The first team was the 1992 chargers team.
Meanwhile in San Diego, It came out that the Mayor was lying to the team and the voters for the entire year of 2016. He was meeting with investors about a 2nd option for Mission Valley to build a soccer stadium. Chris Cate a major voice for the opposition of measure C is now being investigated and could be removed from office for leaking top secret memos to the FS investors.Ron Roberts got called out by his fellow county supervisors that he had no authority whatsoever to offer the chargers a dime in county money. He offered 121 million that they now hope to relieve the homeless epidemic and hepatitis A infections that the mayor ignored and let explode so it wouldn't affect his convention center expansion. That resulted in 20 people dying in the city.
So as 2017 enters into 2018. Here is what we know. The Chargers are not leaving LA. They are there to stay despite the dreams of some fans here. The other is San Diego sports will never be the same as before. San Diego will go to vote in November of 2018 on 2 different plans for Mission Valley. One is the MLS plan and the other is a SDSU expansion. Whatever plan gets more than 50% of the vote wins. If they both get 50% the one with the most votes win. If neither get 50% then The Murph sits and rots at a expense of 15 million dollars a year. The Mayor has said there will be no more events planned at the stadium past December 31, 2018. The mayor leaves office after the election in 2020.
Reminder: You can listen to Charger talk every Saturday from 3-5pst. "Sports On Tap" with Dave Peters and his co-hosts Gregg Williams and myself at www.wblzmedia.com. A show for the fans from charger fans.
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