I've been saying for years that the Chargers won't be in San Diego for long. And todays announcement might just prove me correct.
Ed Rosky major land developer and owner of a couple of sports properties announced today that he is going to build a new NFL Stadium on the outskirts of L.A. where he is now building shopping malls and offices. He is actually going to have to carve out a hillside to build part of the stadium. Rumor is the stadium will cost 800 million which almost half Rosky will put up himself.
The Chargers can get out of their lease at Qualcomm in one year with a $20 million buyout which is the soonest any NFL team can get out of a lease. If you remember, the Chargers already gave up their gorgeous and COOL (temp wise) La Jolla CA. training camp a few years ago to move to Compton, CA to train in the HOT 100+ degree temps. Now why would they do something like that? They could have stayed in La Jolla forever.
They never been able to get anything going to build a new stadium here although it's been tried, especially after their last Super Bowl here when Paul Taglibue himself said, " There'll never be another Super Bowl held in this stadium!"
We all know that the NFL wants another franchise in L.A. and it sure isn't going to be an "expansion" team. LA is the second largest media market and the NFL wants a piece of the action. They're going to have to move a team from somewhere else, and the Chargers are the most likely candidate. Other teams that would like to move like the Vikings and Saints can't get out of their stadium contracts soon enough for the NFL. With the Chargers having a decent fan base in L.A. and only having to move about 100 miles north, it just makes sense that the Chargers will be the logical choice. With it being a fairly easy drive up the I-5 to LA, they probably won't lose too many season ticket holders from San Diego.
Rosky said that the stadium could start being buit by November and could be finished in time for the 2010-11 season.
Ed Rosky major land developer and owner of a couple of sports properties announced today that he is going to build a new NFL Stadium on the outskirts of L.A. where he is now building shopping malls and offices. He is actually going to have to carve out a hillside to build part of the stadium. Rumor is the stadium will cost 800 million which almost half Rosky will put up himself.
The Chargers can get out of their lease at Qualcomm in one year with a $20 million buyout which is the soonest any NFL team can get out of a lease. If you remember, the Chargers already gave up their gorgeous and COOL (temp wise) La Jolla CA. training camp a few years ago to move to Compton, CA to train in the HOT 100+ degree temps. Now why would they do something like that? They could have stayed in La Jolla forever.
They never been able to get anything going to build a new stadium here although it's been tried, especially after their last Super Bowl here when Paul Taglibue himself said, " There'll never be another Super Bowl held in this stadium!"
We all know that the NFL wants another franchise in L.A. and it sure isn't going to be an "expansion" team. LA is the second largest media market and the NFL wants a piece of the action. They're going to have to move a team from somewhere else, and the Chargers are the most likely candidate. Other teams that would like to move like the Vikings and Saints can't get out of their stadium contracts soon enough for the NFL. With the Chargers having a decent fan base in L.A. and only having to move about 100 miles north, it just makes sense that the Chargers will be the logical choice. With it being a fairly easy drive up the I-5 to LA, they probably won't lose too many season ticket holders from San Diego.
Rosky said that the stadium could start being buit by November and could be finished in time for the 2010-11 season.