Another week, another batch of anonymously sourced reports that the San Diego Chargers are moving to L.A.:
ESPN’s Jim Trotter, a former Union-Tribune beat writer on the Chargers, livened up the Twitter universe Thursday with two bearish forecasts about the future of the Chargers and Raiders in their respective cities.
Tweet No. 1: “I’ve never been more pessimistic about Chargers staying in SD. Based on all I’m hearing I’d be SHOCKED if team isn’t in LA next year.”
Tweet No. 2: “Barring unanticipated miracle, I expect Chargers and Raiders to announce in January their plans to relocate – Chargers to LA, Raiders to LV.”
That’s just Trotter’s opinion, really — dare I say hot take? — which is fine enough. What’s not fine is news outlet after news outlet acting like this is actual, you know, news:
NFL insider sees Chargers, Raiders on move in 2017 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Chargers Reportedly Almost Guaranteed To Move To L.A. In 2017 (LAist)
It reportedly will take a ‘miracle’ to keep the Chargers in San Diego (Washington Post)
What we have here is still a rumor — one that could be based on what actual NFL insiders are thinking, or on what actual NFL insiders want you to think, or on what a few people around the league are talking to a couple of well-connected sportswriters about over beers. It’s certainly possible that Dean Spanos will announce a move to L.A. next month, but it’s also possible that he’ll ask for more time to keep negotiating with Rams owner Stan Kroenke and/or the city of San Diego — or even that he’ll decide the L.A. deal is too second-fiddly for his blood and reject it entirely, though that seems less likely because why not just ask for an extension then to keep his options open? But trying to guess based on what some unknown “league sources” say is going to be about as accurate as a dart board — you’d probably do just as well selling prediction shares in the Chargers leaving or staying in San Diego, and going with the wisdom of the crowd.
I think what you are saying is news outlets could possibly be the original purveyors of “fake news”.
If the Chargers do move to Los Angeles, the NFL might as well bring back the television blackout rules starting next season. When visiting team fans outnumber those of the home team or the stadium is half empty, it will be an embarrassing image to view. Dean Spanos only has himself to blame.
Ah, cool. I was thinking about paying $700 to fly and see the last game at Qualcomm, but maybe there’s a chance I’ll have still next year.
there’s a chance I’ll still have* next year, jesus.
So does anyone think that the Chargers are as good as gone from San Diego?
It’s worse than rumors, it’s flat out bullshit that doesn’t walk or talk. And everyone knows it. Leverage Angeles died with Stan Kroenke’s hostile takeover of the territory. It’s finished, kaput, dead as a dodo.
And Dean Spanos was the sacrificial lamb led to the slaughter in that one. The con is over, it can’t be resurrected which means Dean is stuck in San Diego. No one there cares if the team moves 120 miles up the road to a place that has a team already and doesn’t care about the Chargers one iota. Or at least they don’t care enough to cough up stadium dough, but then who in California ever does? Pikers.
If Dean wants leverage he’ll have court Vegas if and when Bowl Cut gets a new deal in Oaktown, or look to some other place. How about London? The London Chargers has a nice ring to it, Dean old buddy. They even built a new stadium there recently. And heck it’s only what, like a 12 hour flight from San Diego?
Err, anyway, I’m really sorry about that L.A. mess, once again. I’m sending you a bottle of 100 year old scotch for Christmas.