The Los Angeles Chargers 2.0

Chargers' AFL logo 1966–1969 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One year after the Rams returned to Los Angeles from St. Louis, they're getting new neighbors.

The Chargers, who have called San Diego home for more than 50 years, is moving up the freeway to the City of Angels.  Just like LA lost two NFL teams (Rams and Raiders) two decades earlier, they get two back at almost the same rate.

The reason the Chargers are bolting San Diego (you knew this was coming, didn't you?  Might as well get it out of the way.) isn't just because Alex Spanos, the owner of the franchise, couldn't get the city and its residents to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium--a tax levy vote failed to pass in November, but also that LA is such a ripe market that he couldn't afford not to move.

Both the Rams and Chargers will be playing out of a new stadium in Inglewood come 2019.  Until then, the Rams' temporary home is the Memorial Coliseum, a historical venue which seats around 100,000.  The Chargers will have to make do with the StubHub Center in nearby Carson.  The home of soccer's LA Galaxy would upgrade its seating capacity to around 27,000, which is well below the NFL standard.

The Chargers began in Los Angeles as a charter member of the American Football League in 1960, then moved the following season to San Diego.  They dominated the AFL's West Division in the early 60s, winning the league championship in 1963 (51-10 over the Boston Patriots).  Following the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Chargers won ten West Division titles in the American Football Conference, the last in 2009.  Their only Super Bowl appearance was in 1995, when they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 49-26 at Miami.  In the 2016 season, the Chargers were at the bottom of the AFC West with a 5-11 record.

The Chargers had their share of stars during their years in San Diego, including John Hadl, Lance Alworth, Speedy Duncan. LaDainian Tomlinson, Dan Fouts, Phillip Rivers and many more.    Sid Gillman, Norv Turner and Don Coryell made their names as coaches here.

Now that LA's dance card has been filled, what other city will NFL owners use as bait to force their constituencies to pony up big bucks for a new stadium where they already are?  The Oakland Raiders are close to announcing their own move to Las Vegas, so that's out.  San Antonio?  London?  Toronto?  Heck, why not San Diego with its great weather and rabid fan base?  Once they decide to build a new stadium, they'd have a much better shot at getting a team back than, let's say, St. Louis.

But that won't be any time soon.  San Diego is the latest example of a city that's a little less "major league" because some owner thinks his franchise would make more money somewhere else, and the locals won't pay for a new playground.  So while the Los Angeles Chargers play before small crowds in a soccer stadium, the good folks of San Diego can boast about their beautiful weather.  And the Padres.