Potential New Teams for Ex-Chargers Fans (Revised)
Credit: San Diego Reader
For two years, the fans of the San Diego Chargers had to endure the tyranny of the NFL and owner Dean Spanos.
Was the future of the team in L.A. or staying in San Diego? The only bright side about the whole fiasco is that it’s finally over. The team left behind 56 years of history in San Diego.
After the move was announced, Mayor Kevin Faulconer said Dean Spanos “made a bad decision, and he will regret it.” While also saying “San Diego didn’t lose the Chargers, the Chargers lost San Diego.” The Chargers’ fan base reacted in many different ways to the shocking (yet not-so-shocking) news, with a vast majority of them feeling angry and betrayed. I was in shock and for days, weeks, I felt a sour twist in my stomach every time it crossed my mind.
The Chargers released a new logo, along with their announcement that spread over social media like a wildfire. The internet trashed the new logo with mockery spoofs, including other professional sports teams accounts. Since then, it seems like nothing positive has been said about the Chargers in L.A., except by the Chargers’ ownership group themselves.
Goodell and the NFL are now dealing with the guilt of a beloved franchise leaving their home. The Chargers are now tenants, and second team to the Rams, a team that nobody in L.A. cares about to begin with. The guilt they feel now probably isn’t so much about us fans in San Diego, but rather the guilt of a poor business decision that only came about because of greed.
Owners are said to be angered by the decision Spanos made, but more than likely only because they want to be that person to say “told you so” when two teams in Los Angeles turns out to be a miserable failure. I mean if they’re so mad, why did they approve the Chargers move one year prior? Goodell claimed that the NFL has a “strongly held belief that we always should do everything we can to keep a franchise in its community.” That’s just another example of Goodell saying what he believes people want to hear. The NFL hardly lifted a finger in assisting to keep the Chargers in San Diego.
The NFL looks awful allowing teams to move in this day and age. The NFL is the divisor for relocation. The “plan” to keep the Chargers in SD was “Measure C”, proposed to have the people of the city and hotel taxes pay for the majority of the stadium. The NFL didn’t do everything they could, nor did Dean Spanos, by relying on a citizen vote that 90% of Chargers’ fans couldn’t even vote on. The city shouldn’t be on the hook for the majority of costs of a new stadium when there are rich owners in an even richer league. The NFL is going to get what they deserve.
The Chargers kicked off their LA saga against the Seahawks in their first preseason game. The attendance was pathetic and an embarrassment. There were many empty seats, and where there were fans the color looked like Seahawks green. It is outrageous that there were empty seats in a 30,000 seat stadium for an NFL FOOTBALL GAME. This was just a look into the deplorable destiny Spanos created. You can’t help but feel bad for the Chargers’ players who suit up and are cheered on by close to nothing. Also, what free agent will want to come to a setting like that?
We are now over seven months removed from the official announcement and, although it still hurts, many have embarked on the healing process. The wounds are no longer fresh and it is somewhat manageable to imagine NFL football in our lives again. I remember months before the announcement, I pledged I wouldn’t support the organization anymore if they moved, and that led me to think, who will I root for? Good thing there are 31 other NFL franchises out there to pick from for “Ex-Fans” alike.
The following are some teams that displaced Charger fans could decide to follow, and why each team would make sense.
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