Chargers expected to exercise option to move to L.A.

[Prime Time]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...e-los-angeles-2017?ex_cid=espntw&sf44434668=1

Chargers expected to exercise option for L.A. move, sources say
Eric D. Williams/ESPN Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO -- Barring a miracle, the San Diego Chargers are expected to exercise the team's option to move to Los Angeles in 2017, sources told ESPN's Jim Trotter.

During the NFL owners meetings in January, in which the league approved the relocation of the Rams to Los Angeles, the Chargers were granted the option to relocate to L.A. with a deadline of Jan. 15, 2017.

Chargers chairman Dean Spanos has to alert the league that he intends to exercise that option by next month's deadline.

The Chargers received only 43 percent approval on Measure C in November. The team's $1.8 billion plan proposed raising hotel taxes from 12.5 percent to 16.5 percent to secure $1.15 billion in bonds to help pay for the stadium project.

The citizens' ballot initiative required two-thirds of the voting public within city limits to approve the project, an extremely high bar for the team to reach.

"Dean has said that he wants everyone to be able to focus on the remainder of the Chargers' season, and so [he] won't be making any final decisions until after the season is over," said Mark Fabiani, the point person on the stadium situation for the Chargers. "That hasn't changed."

The Chargers have a tenant-lease agreement with Rams owner Stan Kroenke that lowers the team's risk because they do not have to borrow money for construction of the $2.6 billion project.

The Rams and Chargers would jointly share revenue such as naming rights, suites, sponsors and advertising. The teams would be on their own to sell season tickets and personal seat licenses.

Kroenke has motivation to complete a deal with the Chargers, because he cannot begin selling personal seat licenses until reaching a decision on whether the Chargers or Raiders will relocate to Los Angeles.

However, the risk for Spanos is that the franchise would be on the hook for a $650 million relocation fee paid over 10 years, determined during the January owners meeting in Houston.

The Chargers also would have to purchase land and construct a practice facility, which would cost tens of millions of dollars.

NFL owners discussed the Raiders moving to Las Vegas during a committee meeting in New York in November. Raiders owner Mark Davis has told the league he plans on filing for relocation to move his franchise to Las Vegas in January.

The Raiders' and the Chargers' stadium situation will be up for discussion at a December NFL owners meeting in Dallas.

 

[LARams_1963]

Not a shocker...but it still sucks......

 

[thirteen28]

It just boggles my mind that Spanos can come up with $650 million over 10 years to move, but can't come up with that sum to contribute to a stadium. For a market like San Diego, I would think a stadium of about $1 billion could do it, and you would think they could come up with the other $350 billion somehow or another.

I must be missing something.

 

[Mackeyser]

It just boggles my mind that Spanos can come up with $650 million over 10 years to move, but can't come up with that sum to contribute to a stadium. For a market like San Diego, I would think a stadium of about $1 billion could do it, and you would think they could come up with the other $350 billion somehow or another.

I must be missing something.

You're not missing anything.

Billionaires become billionaires by using OPM...Other People's Money.

They want to own most, but contribute much less than "most". All for the privilege of NOT paying taxes AND for the locals to pay EXTRA taxes.

And except for a few teams... the locals get the privilege of watching a crap product.

I swear, the more I watch professional sports, the more I realize what a f'n racket it is...

 

[FRO]

They should build their own stadiums. No reason for you and I to build their stadiums and pay to get inside stadiums we've built for them. What a scam.

 

[Dodgersrf]

It just boggles my mind that Spanos can come up with $650 million over 10 years to move, but can't come up with that sum to contribute to a stadium. For a market like San Diego, I would think a stadium of about $1 billion could do it, and you would think they could come up with the other $350 billion somehow or another.

I must be missing something.

Not to mention the 500 mill the league gave him if he stays in SD.
That's a 1.15 billion differential.

 

[TexasRam]

If they were smart they would combine the two teams. Just maybe we would finally see a Playoff game. Goff could sit behind Rivers for a few years and then takeover.

They could call us the Charging Rams.

Anyone?

 

[D L]

I hope they go. Just so St. Louis won't be the only city that got their heart ripped out and stomped on.

Misery loves company.

 

[RamFan503]

And so Stan won't receive ANYTHNG for construction costs if Spanos decides to glom on? I don't think that was how it was to work. Does anyone recall the costs he would have in moving into Inglewood with his buddy? Y'know - like what the lease would be on top of relocation fees? What concessions and parking monies Spanos would get out of the deal? Seems like Spanos is still trying to be a worm.

 

[FRO]

Why 2 teams in LA? I've never understood this. Why not let the Rams gain traction in the market before putting 2 teams there. There are other cities that deserve football teams.

 

[badnews]

Why 2 teams in LA? I've never understood this. Why not let the Rams gain traction in the market before putting 2 teams there. There are other cities that deserve football teams.

Because they are greedy bastards that don't care about their fans or cities.

And, as jrry says, some of these guys aren't very bright and have no idea what they are doing.

 

[FRO]

Because they are greedy bastards that don't care about their fans or cities.

And, as jrry says, some of these guys aren't very bright and have no idea what they are doing.

I agree. As a St Louisan I don't think we should have lost a team. Now the Rams are in LA, let them have a chance to build up a fan base. It takes time. I think putting two teams in one city is counterproductive. If the Rams gain great traction and there is a market for a new team, then great. The Rams haven't gained traction yet and introducing another team may mean the Rams never gain traction.

 

[badnews]

I agree. As a St Louisan I don't think we should have lost a team. Now the Rams are in LA, let them have a chance to build up a fan base. It takes time. I think putting two teams in one city is counterproductive. If the Rams gain great traction and there is a market for a new team, then great. The Rams haven't gained traction yet and introducing another team may mean the Rams never gain traction.

I'm in Springfield Mo. Was staying in downtown STL two weekends ago with my wife.
She said "Its like some of the magic is gone without (her boys) being here."
I agree.
St Louis is fine and there is nobody crying in the streets.... but for die-hards like we are?
The Rams not being there is still hard to accept.

The only thing left to hope for now is that the LA fans who stuck with their team the last 20+ years actually get a team capable of delivering a product worthy of their passion.
If the Chargers move in to LA at almost the same time, it just makes the Rams exodus from STL that much less meaningful and somehow even harder to accept.

And besides... I don't want San Diego fans to go through having their team ripped away and relocated....
... San Francisco fans however....

 

[Ballhawk]

I'm in Springfield Mo. Was staying in downtown STL two weekends ago with my wife.
She said "Its like some of the magic is gone without (her boys) being here."
I agree.
St Louis is fine and there is nobody crying in the streets.... but for die-hards like we are?
The Rams not being there is still hard to accept.

The only thing left to hope for now is that the LA fans who stuck with their team the last 20+ years actually get a team capable of delivering a product worthy of their passion.
If the Chargers move in to LA at almost the same time, it just makes the Rams exodus from STL that much less meaningful and somehow even harder to accept.

And besides... I don't want San Diego fans to go through having their team ripped away and relocated....
... San Francisco fans however....

What is really sad about that is that Oakland fans have been tremendously loyal and supportive of their team and are going to lose it anyway. Same for San Diego. And SF can't fill their stadium and no talk of the team moving?
The ticket buying fans are just pawns to the NFL.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

This sucks.

 

[Prime Time]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ady-to-exercise-l-a-option-barring-a-miracle/

by Darin Gantt

The deadline for Chargers owner Dean Spanos to apply to the league for relocation is Jan. 15, 2017, and since the team has shelved any stadium talks with the city for the rest of the season after a potential franchise-saving ballot measure failed badly (getting just 43 percent of the needed 66.7), that doesn’t leave the city very much time to come up with something if it wants the team to stay.

“Dean has said that he wants everyone to be able to focus on the remainder of the Chargers’ season, and so [he] won’t be making any final decisions until after the season is over,” said Chargers stadium point man Mark Fabiani. “That hasn’t changed.”

Of course, there’s still the matter of the Chargers cutting a deal with the Rams for the ability to share their new stadium in Inglewood, which is a solution that seems to please no one.

And this news also serves as a last-ditch signal to the city, that if it ever wants to see professional football beyond the three remaining home games this year, that now is the time to figure something out. That puts the onus on a local government which has been so far unwilling to bend over backward for the team, rather than the team itself.

 

[RamsCardsJazz]

What is really going to suck is if we continue to suck and the Chargers are a winning team. The place maybe empty at the Rams games. The casual NFL fan is drawn to winners. Clearly everyone in here is a diehard fan, as this team has been so awful for so long, but the diehards do not fill the stadium. I know, I live in St. Louis and was a season ticket holder. The place was pretty empty the last few years.

 

[Psycho_X]

Stan would be happy if it's the Chargers he has to share with and not the Raiders at least. The Raiders are already destroying the Rams in tv ratings by a large margin in LA. Would be pretty embarrassing if they moved in with them and outdrew attendance also. Luckily for the Rams it seems like the Las Vegas thing will come to fruition eventually.

On the other hand, the Chargers would be dumb to move to LA because of the same reason the Rams don't want the Raiders there I'd think. With how much Spanos will have to pay in relocation and other relevant fees I don't know why he can't use that plus league money to build a modest but nice stadium in San Diego. Or hell, go to another city that offers a stadium deal. Don't know why anyone would ever want to be second to another team in the same market. Just seems stupid for everyone involved.

 

[LesBaker]

And so Stan won't receive ANYTHNG for construction costs if Spanos decides to glom on? I don't think that was how it was to work. Does anyone recall the costs he would have in moving into Inglewood with his buddy? Y'know - like what the lease would be on top of relocation fees? What concessions and parking monies Spanos would get out of the deal? Seems like Spanos is still trying to be a worm.

IIRC they would split the naming rights and sponsorship revenues, which would be much higher since there is more "visibility and branding" with the extra games. Spanos pays no construction costs but pays nominal rent. Luxury box sales for each team go to each owner of course and tickets sales get split the usual way with the visiting team.

I'm not sure how parking and concessions would work but my guess is that Spanos would get a piece of game day hot dogs and programs.

It's actually a good deal for both of them IF all one does is simply look at the revenues in a vacuum. But one team will end up being second fiddle and the fans in SD get fucked. Not that any of the owners give a shit about that of course LOL.

 

[DaveFan'51]

If they were smart they would combine the two teams. Just maybe we would finally see a Playoff game. Goff could sit behind Rivers for a few years and then takeover.

They could call us the Charging Rams.

Anyone?

Never going to happen, just wait and see!!! Spanos hates Kroenke, and he doesn't really want to leave San Diego! This is all just a leverage play!