The city of Los Angeles didn’t have an NFL team for the longest time, but that fast, they will have two franchises. After a lukewarm reception to the struggling Rams, in a shocking turn of events, the San Diego Chargers are also making a move to the city.
Adam Schefter reports that the team’s 55-year stint in San Diego is ending and they will share a venue in Stan Kroenke’s new Inglewood stadium when it goes up in 2019. This move comes after the fact the residents in San Diego voted against a new downtown stadium in San Diego in this past November’s election cycle.
A stunner: Chargers plan to announce as early as Thursday they are moving to LA, ending 55-year stint with SD, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2017
There are no details on whether Dean Spanos (the team owner) is selling the franchise, but this move makes no sense and will not be applauded much by the residents of the L.A. area. There’s a chance the team could rebrand, but chances are they won’t since a trademark for the ‘Los Angeles Chargers’ was submitted sometime last year. The team still has no head coach and now has to figure out where they will play until 2019. The two options are the L.A. Colosseum or the Stub Hub Center in Carson.
Either way, don’t expect parades or an open arms reception for the Chargers in the city. Unless, you know, they wind up in the Super Bowl next season or something.
Because the Rams are actually that bad and won’t be improving in the foreseeable future.
UPDATE: Spanos released a statement and new logo concerning the team’s move to Los Angeles.
“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. L.A. is a remarkable place, and while we played our first season there in 1960 and have had fans there ever since, our entire organization knows that we have a tremendous amount of work to do. We must earn the respect and support of LA football fans. We must get back to winning. And, we must make a meaningful contribution, not just on the field, but off the field as a leader and champion for the community.
The Chargers are determined to fight for LA and we are excited to get started.”
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