2016 Running Football Thread

[Bison]

The NFL is certainly trying their hardest to destroy themselves.

[bayonetbrant]

I guess Spanos is counting on the ticket sales in his new stadium coming from traveling visitors.

It's not even his stadium!

He's going to play in the StubHub center (home to the MLS LA Galaxy) for the first few years until Stan Kroenke's big place in Carson gets built.  At that point, the Chargers will be using the Rams' stadium instead.


So it's going to cost him $550mil to move to a city that doesn't want him, play 2-4 years in a 30k-seat soccer stadium, then move into someone else's football stadium.
Or, he could've taken the $550mil relocation fee and dumped it into upgrading the current stadium he's in and been a hero to the city.

Asshat.

[OJsDad]

Im surprised he didnt move to Vegas.

[SirAndrewD]

Spanos could've saved himself a lot of potential future trouble if he'd not done the ridiculous LA logo rebrand, and the "Fight for LA" motto right on top of everything.

Honestly, he should've just changed the name to the South California Chargers, and kept literally everything else the same.  Then they at least might've retained more of their fans and convinced them to make that hour and a half trip north to see their games. 

As it is I'm not even sure he'll fill 30k seats next year, not with locals.  LA is already massively over saturated with pro sports teams, and the Chargers haven't exactly been lighting it up on the gridiron.  I could see them out of LA in under a decade.

[bayonetbrant]

Im surprised he didnt move to Vegas.

Raiders are already going there instead

[BanzaiCat]

I get these guys are businessmen, and their move from San Diego was because the locals didn't want to pay for a new stadium. But Hayseus Christmas, come on, these assholes have ridiculous amounts of money already. Try using it, give back to the community that's supported your old, stank asses for decades.

[MetalDog]

Holding cities hostage by threatening to leave if public funds aren't used to defray/totally pay for a new stadium for the local sports team rarely backfires.  I love it when it does.

[BanzaiCat]

It's how Houston lost the Oilers back in the day...but good riddance. Bud Adams was an asshole anyway.

[Bison]

I think the NFL is quickly alienating its fan base with all of these stadium threats, team moves, high cost of tickets, local market blackouts, and the politics they allow to become the center of focus.  Goodell and the owners are slowly cooking the golden goose.  I used to care and enjoy following and watching the NFL.  Not so much anymore.  Frankly I don't care.  I'll watch a playoff game if I can pick it up on over the air broadcast, but otherwise nope.  I'd rather watch a college game any day of the week at any level.  I've watched some really great games between D III schools too.   

[bayonetbrant]

I watch the Sunday night highlight show, on DVR so I can fast-forward the stupid human-interest interview bullshit before the game that night.  Occasionally I'll have the Saints on in the background while I'm doing other things around the house.  But the last time I sat down and actually paid solid attention to a full NFL game?  Probably Seahawks-Saints in the 2012 playoffs.  I don't even pay full att'n to the Super Bowl b/c we're usually having a small party and I'm the de facto caterer.

But I watched all of the Nat'l Title game on Monday, and a good chunk of it a second time b/c I DVR'ed the coaches' room and watched for a lot of their commentary.  I also watched the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Independence Bowl, and most of the Outback Bowl, along with chunks of about a dozen other bowl games.  Only one of them featured a team I actually care about (NC St in the Independence Bowl).

[Bison]

I paid for a month of sling tv and watched a bunch of bowl games, DIV AA and DIV II playoff games. 

[Arctic Blast]

Holding cities hostage by threatening to leave if public funds aren't used to defray/totally pay for a new stadium for the local sports team rarely backfires.  I love it when it does.

Absolutely. And I like that it seems to be happening more frequently as people slowly start to wise up.

[bayonetbrant]

ESPN 30 for 30: "What if I told you losing to the Browns meant you had to move towns?" #Chargers pic.twitter.com/mu5bsEHi28

— McNeil (@Reflog_18) January 12, 2017

[mirth]

Well, thank you for participating Houston Texans.

[Sir Slash]

They should've gotten points for just showing-up.