3 Cities That Deserve the Chargers Way More Than Los Angeles
By Scott Rogust
The Chargers football franchise has been the subject of relocation rumors these past few days. Currently in Los Angeles, the Chargers were believed to be entertaining the idea of moving to London.
Owner Dean Spanos came out on Tuesday to say the story is fabricated and they have no desire to move out of Hollywood. The thing is, the city of Los Angeles doesn't care about the Chargers, given how their home turf is dominated by the opposition.
The Chargers organization needs to move to a city that actually cares about them, and here are three that stand out.
3. Mexico City, Mexico
The NFL has been adamant on bringing in an international market. While the fan base in London is growing, having teams fly in and out of the UK takes too much of a toll. How about Mexico City? They've hosted games in the past, most recently between the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots. Fans in Mexico City are passionate about their sports teams, and bringing in an NFL franchise will incentivize the choice for the league. Did we mention it's easier to travel to than London? Because it definitely is.
2. Portland, Oregon
Portland has the Trail Blazers, Portland Timbers, and the Thorns. Other than that, they lack a baseball and hockey team. There is a football market in Portland, as evidenced by the city holding the 22nd largest TV market for NFL games and a petition to bring an NFL team to Portland spreading over five years ago. Portland is filled with passionate sports fans, so let's reward them with the Chargers.
1. San Diego, California
San Diego was given the raw end of the deal following Spanos' decision to move their franchise to Los Angeles. As a result, the city protested the organization, and refused to follow them to Carson, Calif. San Diego was a staple for football over the years, and the fact they have no professional football team is downright criminal. Granted, the only way for this to happen is if Spanos sells the team to a billionaire who would fund a brand new stadium. Either way, a return to San Diego is much-needed.