Los Angeles Chargers: “Fight for LA” doesn’t start as planned
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Chargers played their first game at the StubHub Center in Carson Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. It is safe to say that the Chargers lost more than just their first preseason game.
As a fan of the San Die- wait, Los Angeles Chargers, disappointment is a common feeling. At first, the move from San Diego to Los Angeles was met with mixed feelings, at least personally. While San Diego does have a special place in my heart, being a Dodger fan as well, moving to LA wasn’t terrible. At least, so I thought.
Working at FANZZ in Southern California, a sports apparel store owned by the Utah Jazz, I am often met with the same questions by customers. “How do you feel about the switch?” or even better “Have you burned your San Diego stuff yet?”
For awhile, the answer was always the same. I was never bothered by the change of city, as I had no real emotional tie to San Diego like most fans. The only real reason the move made no sense to me was the logistics.
Dean Spanos practically wanted the best move for his wallet. Sharing a stadium with the Rams, instead of funding a new stadium or renovations to Qualcomm saves him money. As a fan, you never want to see your team run like a business. Although they are all ran that way, this was a painful reminder of that reality.
However, after channeling in to watch the newfound Los Angeles Chargers get demolished by the Seattle Seahawks, 48-17, something didn’t feel right. Losing didn’t really bother me, as the first team looked good in their limited time on the field. Looking at that score ticker, seeing “LAC” along with the words “Los Angeles Chargers” seemed artificial.
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Just watching last night’s game gave all the evidence in the world. The Chargers, who are moving from limited support in San Diego home games, is playing in a city that doesn’t care about them. Los Angeles is already so far removed from NFL football, with the city warming up to the Rams. Heck, there are more Raider fans in the city than Charger fans.
This is evident from the shocking attendance numbers. Already playing in a very limited soccer stadium, of all things, the Chargers only managed to draw in 21,054 fans. In comparison, the LA Galaxy had over 25,000 in attendance for their game on Saturday against NYC FC.
Granted, this is a preseason game that does not really matter, but the Chargers averaged 57,000 fans a game last season. Ironically, the Rams drew in a United States preseason record with 89,140 fans in attendance for their first preseason game last season.
This “Fight for LA” that the Chargers are pushing doesn’t seem like much of a fight. The Rams are already swamping the Chargers in popularity, and unless something changes, it will continue to be that way.
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So, after months of thought, questioning and news around the team, it is safe to say that maybe the Los Angeles Chargers weren’t the best thing to happen to the NFL. I was optimistic, but now, I can’t help but have a sour taste in my mouth.