Chargers To LA? San Diego In Danger Of Losing NFL Team

While NFL owners have approved the move of the St. Louis Rams to Los Angeles, the league is still grappling with the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers. Both teams could be on the move, with the Chargers given a year to decide on sharing the new stadium in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles, or accept $100 million from the NFL towards a new stadium of their own.

There is another proposal on the table as well, a $1.1 billion offering to replace Qualcomm Stadium at Mission Valley. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s $1.1 billion stadium would include $350 million of public money and the proposal would hinge on a public vote in order to receive those funds. However, according to The San Diego-Union Tribune, polls have shown that citizens of San Diego are unwilling to approve huge sums for a new football stadium .

Originally, the Chargers and the Oakland Raiders were allies in the quest for relocation to Los Angeles. The two teams submitted a joint proposal for a $1.7 billion stadium in nearby Carson, California, but the proposal did not receive the requisite 75 percent of votes. The Raiders formally withdrew their relocation request before 30 of the 32 owners eventually approved Kroenke's plan.

Whether or not they make the move is ultimately up to the organization, headed by owner Dean Spanos. According to polls, San Diego residents are unwilling to approve huge sums for a new football stadium.

“My goal from the start of this process was to create the options necessary to safeguard the future of the Chargers franchise, while respecting the will of my fellow NFL owners,” Spanos said. “The Chargers have been approved to relocate to Los Angeles, at the Inglewood location, at any time in the next year ... I will be working over the next several weeks to explore the options that we have now created for ourselves to determine the best path forward for the Chargers.”

Should the Chargers leave San Diego, the Padres would be the only sports team in the No. 28 market in the country. The Clippers played their final season in 1984, and San Diego has never had an NHL or MLS team. The Chargers have played in San Diego since 1961 after one season in Los Angeles.