November 21, 2002

Chargers to bolt S.D.?

The San Diego Chargers, already the beneficiaries of a lease that pays them more for not selling tickets than for selling them, have a chance to extort even more concessions from the city: Starting Dec. 1, the Chargers have a 60-day window in which to activate an escape clause in their 25-year lease on Qualcomm Stadium; rumors are rampant the team would then seek to move to Los Angeles, though no NFL-ready stadium exists there, and the city has not been eager to fund one. The Citizens Task Force on Chargers Issues claims the city could nullify the escape clause, which allows the team to opt out of its lease if revenues fall short of covering payroll, by writing a $5 million check to the team; local attorney Mark Aguirre says he'll sue the Chargers for "unfair business practices" if they try to activate the escape clause. Stay tuned...