Following the results of Tuesday's election, San Diego could end up losing the Chargers to another city. After failing to security the majority vote for a professional football franchise in the city, Chargers owner Dean Spanos might consider relocating the team to Los Angeles.
As stated in California's laws, a franchise needs two-thirds of the votes in order to remain in a city. However, on Tuesday, majority of San Diego residents decided not to support Measure C, resulting in a 57 percent over 43 percent count. Specifically, about 169,000 residents from various precincts voted against the measure.
After the results were unveiled, Spanos immediately released a statement to address the issue. According to the owner of the Chargers, it is still too early to tell what will happen to the franchise. However, he noted that he is determined to explore all options in keeping the Chargers in San Diego. He has until Jan. 15 to decide what he will do with the team.
"In terms of what comes next for the Chargers, it's just too early to give you an answer," Spanos said. "We are going to diligently explore and weigh our options, and do what is needed to maintain our options, but no decision will be announced until after the football season concludes and no decision will be made in haste."
Although Spanos still has the option to look for other possibilities in placing the Chargers in a different stadium in San Diego, this would be next to impossible given the provisions of Measure C. If he fails to accomplish this, he might decide moving the Chargers to Los Angeles and share a stadium with the Los Angeles Rams.
As noted by Andre Brandt, director of the MOORAD Center for the Study of Sports Law and a former executive of the Green Bay Packers, the result of the recent election is already a clear indication of what Spanos has to do.
"If it's under 50%, it's probably a sign to look elsewhere," he said. "If it's over 50%, it's a different discussion. Then you've got the L.A. option sitting there, but it seems like that's something no one really wants."
