San Dee-Ay-Go, make that Los An-Gel-Es, Super Chargers?

I may be behind here, but I thought SD has a fairly new stadium they were using currently. They need a new one? What's more, won't there be an uproar in SD if the Chargers move to La-La Land?

 

You're probably thinking of the Padres' new stadium. The Chargers are playing in the same one from the '60s.

As for uproar, that's what the NFL is trying to do, cause an uproar so they can get the ballot issue moving and extort the taxpayers for a new stadium. The column was well-done, but it also hinges on a date of February 2012; clearly it allows San Diegans plenty of time to process the threat and bend over for a new deal.

 

A few notes from the neighborhood:

1. I attended a Chargers game at Qualcomm a few weeks back and the game day experience is the worst I've ever been through. An hour and a half to get in through the 1 parking entrance, terrible stadium, no amenities and 2 hours to get out of the parking lot.

2. My wife has to work with several government agencies in SD County, so we go there a lot. There is zero interest -- and zero money -- in public financing for the Spanos.

3. The Chargers have a large and growing fan base in LA and especially Orange County; I'm in the Inland Empire a lot and I see as many Charger stickers as I do Raider ones.

4. The whole LA-gets-to-see-all-the-good-games is not accurate; usually, we're stuck with at least 1 Charger or Raider game.

5. You can count me in as a Los Angeles resident who wants an NFL team. And will support it.

 

Unless and until there is a miraculous and momentous economic recovery, the idea of devoting multi-hundreds of millions of dollars of tax money (and it's all tax money, no matter how it's subterfuged and camouflaged as hotel taxes, entertainment taxes, rental-car taxes, bond guarantees etc etc etc) on sports stadiums for the exclusive benefit of billionaire owners (and millionaire players, while we're at it) should bring nothing less than armed mobs storming the streets.

 

I'm surprised no one has pulled the trigger on LA. You could move your team and play in the Coliseum or Rose Bowl as the new place is being built.
Kind of surprised the City of Industry thing didn't happen given all the money they threw at neighboring cities to get the okay.

 

We spent thanksgiving weekend in SD. I paid I think $3.75 a night tax for something - San Diego Visitors Bureau or the Zoo or something... very irritating.

 

Yeah. A multi-hundred-million-dollar stadium (for all effective purposes) given to him for free.

Yeah, whenever a billionaire doesn't get a multi-hundred-million dollar gift from taxpayers, the natural reaction is to say "fuck you" and leave.

Without going into deep specifics, I would be totally un-shocked to find out that some of that $3.75 might have gone for some mechanism of financing the construction of Petco Field.

 

Ah, OK. Never ever ever ever even once asked for a new stadium. OK, got it.

 

You're really from Pittsburgh, aren't you?

 

There are only a few NFL teams that legitimately NEED a new stadium. The Niners, the Chargers and the Vikings.

Goodell would be smart to announce soon that they're expanding to L.A. so he can sell the expansion rights for about $1 billion and then use a third of that to buy the Jags from Wayne Weaver and the league will stay at 32 teams.

North Florida will barely notice.

 

You need to take in a game at FedEx Field sometime soon while the memories of Qualcomm Stadium are fresh in your mind. Sounds to me as if FedEx Field is the same as Qualcomm - - only with more seats.

 

Mizzou: Jags are 6-for-6 in avoiding blackouts this season, and will be 7-for-7 for this week's Raiders game. They have fans. As far as tradition goes, they do have two appearances in the AFC championship since 1995, more than some teams can claim.