Chargers owner Dean Spanos broke countless hearts and angered citizens in San Diego on Thursday by announcing the franchise was moving to Los Angeles. While the Chargers began their existence in Los Angeles as an AFL team, they spent the past 56 seasons down the 5 Freeway.
When the NFL approved the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles, the Chargers were granted the option to also uproot their franchise, with an initial deadline of Jan. 15, 2017 put in place. The league wound up extending the deadline by 48 hours, though Spanos didn’t so much as stretch the decision to Sunday.
After decades without a single NFL team, Los Angeles will now be home to a pair of franchises beginning in the 2017 season. Given the recent struggles of both teams, expectations are low and excitement is tepid.
Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who grew up in San Diego, shared on Twitter that he was not pleased with the relocation news but would continue to support the Chargers:
Even though I am in LA, I am not very excited for today's news about @Chargers relocating. I'll still be a chargers fan though. #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/4bQ6FX55jz
— Adrián González (@Adrian_ElTitan) January 12, 2017
Gonzalez was a three-time All-Star and spent five seasons playing for the Padres. Similarly, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is a San Diego native, played two seasons with the Padres, joined their front office in 2010 and worked as a bench coach.
Roberts also was disappointed by the news of the Chargers moving to Los Angeles according to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Dave Roberts, San Diego native, on the Chargers leaving town: "It's just very disappointing that it would have to come to this."
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) January 12, 2017
The Chargers only received 43 percent approval on Measure C in November, which would have raised hotel taxes from 12.5 percent to 16.5 percent to secure $1.15 billion in bonds to help pay for a new stadium. Two-thirds of approval was required to pass the measure.
Although the Chargers will only pay $1 a year in rent to Rams owner Stan Kroenke in order to be a tenant in the Inglewood Stadium, the relocation fee could be upwards of $650 million. In addition, the Chargers will need to buy out their lease with Qualcomm Stadium, and purchase land to develop a practice facility.
