4 thoughts on “The NFL is all about the fans. Just not existing ones.”
Luxury boxes = revenue the team doesn't have to share w/other teams. LA has lots of the Riches to buy those tickets; St Louis, San Diego and Oakland, not so many.
A friend who grew up here in San Diego, had season tickets for many years (and was the kind of fan who refers to the team as "we") was certain the "Chargers" would never leave because Spano's wife had integrated herself w/La Jolla high society and feared the opprobrium if she allowed Alex to move the team. Now my friend is unable to speak of the matter.
The City of San Diego bought unsold tickets for many years under an agreement to keep the team here after they got to and lost the Super Bowl in '94. Even when that scandalous arrangement was exposed, they still effectively paid no rent on the city-owned stadium. Our fearless municipal leaders were going to finance a new stadium out of redevelopment funds until Jerry Brown found a way to shut that whole thing down. Then they just said fuck it, taxpayers are gonna cough up $300M, and they'll like it.
And I know, that does. not. matter. The greedy owners will cut a deal and the Bay Area and/or San Diego will needlessly lose their team to a city that isn't united behind it:
No single team has filled the void left by the Rams and Raiders. Instead, fans have learned to pick and choose their favorites from around the league. Transplants have clung to hometown allegiances.
tl;dr: the NFL is set to send a team to a city that DGAF about them. Brilliant!
Luxury boxes = revenue the team doesn't have to share w/other teams. LA has lots of the Riches to buy those tickets; St Louis, San Diego and Oakland, not so many.
A friend who grew up here in San Diego, had season tickets for many years (and was the kind of fan who refers to the team as "we") was certain the "Chargers" would never leave because Spano's wife had integrated herself w/La Jolla high society and feared the opprobrium if she allowed Alex to move the team. Now my friend is unable to speak of the matter.
The City of San Diego bought unsold tickets for many years under an agreement to keep the team here after they got to and lost the Super Bowl in '94. Even when that scandalous arrangement was exposed, they still effectively paid no rent on the city-owned stadium. Our fearless municipal leaders were going to finance a new stadium out of redevelopment funds until Jerry Brown found a way to shut that whole thing down. Then they just said fuck it, taxpayers are gonna cough up $300M, and they'll like it.
But even that may not be enough, boo hoo.
DO NOT WANT.
And I know, that does. not. matter. The greedy owners will cut a deal and the Bay Area and/or San Diego will needlessly lose their team to a city that isn't united behind it:
tl;dr: the NFL is set to send a team to a city that DGAF about them. Brilliant!
/FFS
Would you be singing a different tune if the arriving team wore bumblebee colors?
HELL to the no: my team belongs back home!