LA Sports

[mauidan]

 

[WLVCA]

I was sorry to see the Chargers announce their move to LA. I lived in southern California for 18 years and very few people seemed to care if there was an NFL team there or not. I didn't see the need even though I am a sports fan.

Now there are two - two not very good NFL teams. One thing is for sure - if you want fan support in LA your team better be a winner.

Ironically, Stan Kroenke, the Rams owner, is building a multi-billion dollar stadium, entertainment and shopping development without government assistance in Inglewood.

The Chargers wanted big money from San Diego taxpayers to remain.

Of course, San Diego and Los Angeles are very different markets - LA dwarfs San Diego.

Big time sports teams make incredible amounts of money. I don't think they deserve or should get subsidies from government.

 

[Steve williams]

I don't think they deserve or should get subsidies from government.

but local governments stand to make $$$ in taxes, parking etc

 

[WLVCA]

but local governments stand to make $$$ in taxes, parking etc

That used to be the conventional wisdom but recent studies say new stadiums don't pay their way. Football stadiums are the worst as there are so few games.

Here's what one expert says about public subsidies for stadiums -

http://news.stanford.edu/2015/07/30/stadium-economics-noll-073015/

Tough time justifying public subsidies for billionaire sports team owners - at least in my mind.

 

[JackD201]

The Anaheim teams didn't make the cartoonists cut

 

[WLVCA]

The Anaheim teams didn't make the cartoonists cut

How true. Disney is great at the movie and theme park business. Not so great at owning sports franchises as they showed with the Angels and Ducks.

ESPN was a money printing machine for years but Disney is struggling a bit with that business now, too.

 

[DaveyF]

Dean Spanos, owner of the Chargers, looked at the 'gift' that was given by the City to the then owners of the Padres when their stadium was built ( Petco Park) and decided he needed some of that! Problem is that Dean Spanos has never been willing to spend enough money to attract real talent to his team...and so the team are perennial losers! The City figured out...fool me once, but fool me twice; and Spanos like so many crybabies had a snit and decided to throw a tantrum...result: he kicks sand in the face of those who had supported him and his father for so many years! Most people I know in San Diego are saying to the Chargers and to Dean Spanos....
goodbye and good riddance! Can you blame them, LOL.

 

[KeithR]

there were more fans of opposing teams than SD at Qualcomm, the biggest dump of a stadium out there

 

[DaveyF]

there were more fans of opposing teams than SD at Qualcomm, the biggest dump of a stadium out there

Keith, no one disputed that Qualcomm was a dump...in fact the City had offered to remodel Qualcomm and bring it up to today's standard. The cost was high to do this, but it was apparently possible to include it in the budget. Problem is that did not give enough ownership rights to the Chargers..or Mr.Spanos. This stadium debacle has been going on for years in one form or another....with various solutions floated. None were workable for Mr. Spanos. Why, because it seems that unless he was "gifted' close to one billion dollars by the poor taxpayer he wasn't going to be happy. The NFL had even offered a $300 Million contribution that could have been put towards remodeling the current stadium...Qualcomm. NO dice.
Like I said before, almost everyone here in San Diego is now saying goodbye and good riddance.