The Chargers’ move to Los Angeles is not a foregone conclusion just yet. The franchise is making a renewed push to stay in San Diego after the 2016 season.
The Chargers will play next season in San Diego, and have to decide by next January whether or not the team will move to Los Angeles.
In the meantime, the franchise has hired consultant Fred Maas to lead the effort to secure public funds to help finance the building of a new stadium. The Chargers also plan to use funds from the NFL and the team itself to pay for the stadium’s construction.
Chargers chairman Dean Spanos minced no words in his support for finding a solution that keeps the team in San Diego. Spanos told the San Diego Union Tribune he needs the support of the community to make this dream a reality.
“Whatever we need to do,” Spanos said, “we’re going to do what we need to do to get this done … We’re trying as hard as we can. I can’t do it myself. It’s going to take the effort of the mayor; politically we need support. The business community needs to step up. I think once we have a definitive plan in place they’ll get behind us and support us. It has to economically make sense for the voters, and I think (the business community) will help make that case down the line and they’ll support us.”
Using public money to finance NFL stadiums is almost always a spectacularly dumb idea for the city. You need to look no further than the team that already made the move to Los Angeles for a perfect example. This solution does not call for the city to foot the entire bill, but without any hard numbers, it is unclear just how prominent tax payer dollars would need to make Spanos’ plan work.
Despite this renewed commitment, Chargers fans should probably get used to the idea of driving two hours north for home games just in case.
[Pro Football Talk/San Diego Union Tribune]
