Could the NFL really send the Chargers back to San Diego? It's something being discussed, according to longtime NFL reporter Don Banks.
The former Sports Illustrated reporter, who has worked for NFL Media and currently writes for The Athletic, told a San Diego radio station on Thursday the NFL never wanted to lose San Diego as a market and could force Chargers owner Dean Spanos to take the team back.
"I have been painted a picture from people I’ve talked to that the league was sympathetic … to Dean Spanos’ plight," Banks told The Mighty 1090. "Feels like he had been a ‘league guy’ feels like he had waited kind of his turn on the relocation front, thought he had the votes the year before — Jerry Jones and Stan Kroenke pretty much outmaneuvered Dean and Mark Davis with the Raiders to be the first in line for LA. So it was almost as if this was a bit of a make up.
"There are people in the league — including the commissioner — they did not want to see San Diego forsaken. They would rather there be a team in San Diego. If there’s anything viable that they could find to put the league back in to San Diego, I think they will be in that camp strongly."
The Chargers failed to sell out their temporary home, the 27,000-seat StubHub Center, in their home opener last Sunday. Banks wrote at The Athletic the NFL is shocked by how quickly things have gone south for the Chargers in L.A. As the Rams struggle to draw fans to the L.A. Coliseum, Banks said the NFL does not want the bad "optics" of empty stadiums for three years before the Rams and Chargers are scheduled to move into a new Inglewood stadium in 2020. [Reply]
I dont think placing them back in San Diego will work. Not that the NFL wouldnt attempt it, but I dont think they will be welcomed.
You now have the Rams in LA, and the Raiders soon to be in LV which are both more popular and better draws than the Chargers. The Raiders already had a lot of fans in San Diego. I dont think theres enough fan support for the Chargers in So Cal.
Maybe they will become the London team the NFL wants by 2020. [Reply]
Originally Posted by NWTF:
I dont think placing them back in San Diego will work. Not that the NFL wouldnt attempt it, but I dont think they will be welcomed.
You now have the Rams in LA, and the Raiders soon to be in LV which are both more popular and better draws than the Chargers. The Raiders already had a lot of fans in San Diego. I dont think theres enough fan support for the Chargers in So Cal.
Maybe they will become the London team the NFL wants by 2020.
Nah, with a new owner, and an owner-funded stadium, SD would welcome the Chargers back with open arms. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TinyEvel:
The Chargers failed to sell out their temporary home, the 27,000-seat StubHub Center, in their home opener last Sunday. Banks wrote at The Athletic the NFL is shocked by how quickly things have gone south for the Chargers in L.A. As the Rams struggle to draw fans to the L.A. Coliseum, Banks said the NFL does not want the bad "optics" of empty stadiums for three years before the Rams and Chargers are scheduled to move into a new Inglewood stadium in 2020.
Oh like hell they are.
They're just worried that the league's already getting a bit of a rep as a 'waning' property and they don't want television audiences seeing a 1/2 stadium only 1/2 full.
They knew full well that the Chargers were fucked, they just didn't care because they were fired up about that sweet, sweet relocation fee. And when all is said and done, they'll only let Spanos out of it (to go back to a spurned and furious city) if they think they're about to get waxed in the next round of TV rights agreements and this may somehow salvage those.
It won't. They won't. The genie is out of the bottle here, IMO. [Reply]
Originally Posted by sd4chiefs:
Yes, Qualcomm is a sh*t hole and San Diego will never approve a new stadium unless the owner and the NFL pays for it.
This befuddles me. I've been to QC several times over the last decade (Though not in the past 5 years) and never really thought of it as decrepit.
I mean, you park, you walk in, you sit down, watch football, drink, piss, repeat. What's so bad about it?
I mean, the new arrowhead is fine. The club level is really nice. I guess they don't have that there? They should just sell the team to someone who's not a dick?
BTW after living in LA my whole life I can firsthand confirm everyone's comments about us being a non-loyal sports town. Too much to do, and most people from other places. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TinyEvel:
BTW after living in LA my whole life I can firsthand confirm everyone's comments about us being a non-loyal sports town. Too much to do, and most people from other places.
some of this is true in Florida. Mainly baseball because there is 162 games. Too much to do down here to commit to that many games. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Why Not?:
Only stadium I've ever been in where I had honest concern that it may collapse on me.
Did you ever go to the old Pile High? That stadium was built like a tinkertoy. The metal stands would bounce up and down. Scared the shit outta me. [Reply]