Chargers CEO Dean Spanos screwed up the Chargers franchise by taking them to Los Angeles

If there is one thing that bugs me more than turning your back on people who love and support you, it is choosing greed over those people. Chargers Chairman and CEO, Dean Spanos, announced this morning that the Chargers franchise will relocate from San Diego to Los Angeles starting next season. The contention between Spanos and the city of San Diego has been apparent since 2002 when Spanos first wrote the mayor of San Diego about moving the franchise. The topic of conversation the past half decade around the Chargers has been relocation.

Spanos wanted San Diego-ians to pay for a substantial majority of any new stadium for the area. The latest Spanos offer was up for a vote as “Ballot Measure C” with the Chargers organization insisting on “vote yes on C.” Here is what the Chargers said about the ballot measure:

On November 8, citizens of San Diego will have the opportunity to “Vote Yes on C” which is aimed at providing a world-class events center that would revitalize East Village downtown with expanded convention facilities and a modern, multi-use stadium. A yes vote on C will allow for the creation of a new facility that could host world-class events and conventions such as Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, NCAA title games, professional soccer, concerts, the X Games and a host of other high-profile events. And no general funds will be used to build this new venue as it will be paid for by the Chargers and the NFL as well as tourists and business travelers staying in San Diego hotels.

The measure sounds promising, right? Tourists and travelers will take on the local burden and not the people of San Diego. That sounds terrific in theory, but it is never the case. The people know that down the road everything will fall on them to finish paying back the stadium. Dean Spanos was setting himself up to not spend a majority of the money himself. With these two facts in mind, the people of San Diego voted down the measure C with 57% not in favor of the stadium. Two-thirds of voters had to “vote yes on C” in order complete the public funding.

With the failure to pass the vote, Spanos had until this upcoming Sunday to decide whether the Chargers would stay in San Diego for another year or if they would relocate to Los Angeles. Last night, Twitter exploded because the world found out the Chargers were going to Los Angeles.

Dean Spanos is now the number one enemy of San Diego, as he deserves to be. A man with a net worth of $2.4 billion had to move the team because he could not get public funding. What a ridiculous and childish move by a man who only gives a shit about money. He chose greed over the people who have stuck with the team through thick and thin. They stayed fans of the team through the down years, through Eli Manning saying he would never play in San Diego, through a disappointing mid-2000’s run with Rivers and Tomlinson, and through the lack of winning the past few seasons.

Here is a great idea for Spanos, well it was before he decided to move his franchise. If Spanos put up the equivalent of 30% of his net worth (around $800 million), he would have a new stadium in San Diego and would actually make himself more money in the long-run. He could be the reason downtown San Diego is revitalized and would be beloved for the rest of his time because of his commitment to the city. He would make more money because he would be controlling the stadium and he can pick what events are prestigious enough to take place there.

What is the difference to Spanos if for two years his net worth was $1.6 billion? He would reap all of the benefits of his stadium. With the move to Los Angeles, Spanos will lease from Stan Kronkie and the Rams to use their stadium. ARE YOU KIDDING ME DEAN SPANOS? What in the world is he thinking? If he just took a different approach to discussions pertaining to building a stadium, he could have come to the conclusion he can make way more money if he built his stadium. Money drives this crazy owner. If he spent money, he would have even more money to fill his second or third swimming pool with in a few years.

Dean Spanos should have just sold the team to someone who would loved to help the Chargers stay in San Diego. With Spanos fighting with politicians and already having a logo ready for Los Angeles, it is pathetic to see one of the top ten richest owners in the league take away a team. Colin Cowherd said it best on his Fox Sports 1 program, The Herd, that it is a “double bird to San Diego.” It is so true. Spanos has been shopping the team to Los Angeles for twenty years now. We should not be surprised it has happened, but we are now surprised and disappointed.

***This post originally appeared on John Amoroso’s Medium page on January 12, 2017***