Chargers against another team moving to Los Angeles
The San Diego Chargers are opposed to a team relocating to Los Angeles because it could be "economically harmful" to them, ESPN's Eric D. Williams reports.
The Chargers have been the only team in Southern California since 1995, when the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders left for Oakland. They receive 30 percent of their revenue from the Los Angeles market.
Mark Fabiani, special counsel to Chargers president Dean Spanos, told ESPN that a team moving to Los Angeles would hurt the Chargers.
"Allowing another team to move into those markets would be economically harmful to the Chargers, to say the least," Fabiani said. "Especially if it's a team that has voluntarily vacated that market in the past, such as the Rams or the Raiders -- that would be particularly objectionable to the Chargers."
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The Chargers are also a candidate to move to Los Angeles, as they have a year-to-year lease at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Fabiani is leading the franchise's efforts to get a new stadium built in San Diego.
The Rams and Raiders have the ability to exit their current stadium leases at the end of this season.
Mike Florio of NBC Sports reported the NFL is planning to have one or two teams move to Los Angeles by 2016. New York Giants owner John Mara said he believes a team will move to Los Angeles in the near future.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was hesitant earlier this week to discuss relocation to Los Angeles.
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"I’ve always been reluctant until we have a solution to project where we are,” Goodell said. “There are reasons for optimism, but that can change quickly also. “What we want to do is make sure we’re doing the work to evaluate those alternatives, understand those alternatives, and if there’s an alternative that makes sense, bring that to the membership.”
Three-quarters of the league's owners must approve of any team relocating.
- Paul Palladino
