San Diego Chargers owner Dean Spanos isn’t willing to bolt town just yet.
According to a statement he released Friday afternoon, the Chargers will play the 2016 season in San Diego. The decision to remain in the city the franchise has called home since 1961 comes as Spanos continues to work with city leaders on building a new stadium.
BREAKING: Chargers chairman Dean Spanos says team will remain in San Diego for 2016 season.
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 29, 2016
Spanos emphasized in the statement that the franchise does have an open-ended agreement with the Rams to share the stadium that Stan Kroenke intends to build in Inglewood, CA. That development was first reported on by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Essentially, the Chargers have until January 15, 2017 to address their current stadium situation in San Diego before having the option to join the Rams in L.A. Kroenke’s stadium is slated to open in 2019.
The fate of the Chargers future in San Diego has been in flux ever since the original announcement on January 13th that the Rams franchise was relocating to Los Angeles after 21 seasons in St. Louis. Part of the owners’ vote that cleared the way for the Rams move to southern California also made it easier for the Chargers to make the trek up to L.A. with them at some point. This was further clarified when another stadium proposal in Carson, CA that would’ve housed the Raiders and Chargers was rejected.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell had stated after the news about the Rams broke that both the Raiders and Chargers would be given $100 million from the league to be used if a stadium agreement can be reached in their original cities. For the city of San Diego, the clock is clearly ticking. Even with a team already in the process of moving to Los Angeles, the city continues to be a leverage play for owners looking for a new stadium. That’s certainly the case with Spanos as he begins talks to salvage any hopes of the Chargers franchise staying put.
The full statement from Dean Spanos can be viewed below.
BREAKING: Dean Spanos announces Chargers will stay in San Diego for 2016 season. pic.twitter.com/jbKNjqLVAB
— The San Diego Union-Tribune (@sdut) January 29, 2016
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