[Elvis]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -a-market/

Chargers may fight over L.A. market

Posted by Mike Florio on October 10, 2014, 1:31 PM EDT

Well, that escalated quickly.

At a time when the NFL hopes to downplay the notion that one or two teams soon will be moving to Los Angeles, the Chargers are prepared to take steps to protect the market that’s not far up the road from San Diego.

As explained by Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal, the Chargers could actively oppose a relocation to L.A.

“Over the last 20 years, there hasn’t been a team in the L.A. market,” said owner Dean Spanos, pictured with his son, Chargers executive V.P. of football operations John Spanos. “We have reached out into that market and 25 to 30 percent of our business comes from the L.A. [and] Orange County areas. Putting a team in there right now, or two teams, would have a huge impact on our business going forward. So we are trying to protect our business in San Diego. . . . It would really be harmful to us.”

Spanos explained that he has shared his concerns with others in the league.

“I have talked to owners about it, they understand. I know the Commissioner does,” Spanos said. “[I]f you put another team in there to help that team and you hurt another team, what does that do? Right. If you put two teams in there, what will that do?”

As Kaplan suggests, Spanos may simply be trying to let the Rams and Raiders know that the process will be far more complex that loading up the moving fans and driving to Los Angeles. Also, Spanos could be hoping to get a larger piece of any relocation fee that will be paid by a team that sees its value increase dramatically via a move to L.A.

Then again, Spanos could be making it known that, if anyone is going to move to Los Angeles, it’s going to be the Chargers. If 25-to-30 percent of their business already comes from L.A. and Orange County, the Chargers perhaps become the most obvious choice to make the move.

In that respect, the overriding goal could be to position the Chargers for relocation at a far lower fee than the Raiders or Rams would have to pay, if one of those two teams join the Chargers.

[moklerman]

What is he really saying? That 25-30% of the fans that they have in LA would dump the Chargers the second another team moves to LA? If that's his argument, then how can he really say that those are truly Chargers fans? If they're just NFL fans and will root for whicher team is in front of their noses, then they should be fair game.

[Elvis]

Maybe Spanos should see if the NFL will clear the NFC and AFC West to help him pick up a few more fans?

And seriously, how did the Chargers do when the Rams and Raiders were in L.A.? I can't say i know but i don't remember it being hard times for The Chargers. Does somebody know?

[TSFH Fan]

Eh, I got mixed feelings on this.

On the one hand you got Spanos with his fuzzy numbers -- he says "25 to 30 percent of our business comes from the L.A. [and] Orange County areas." Is it OC or LA? And what part of OC? I mean if it's 25-29 percent of business from South OC and 0-1 percent from LA and the rest of OC, he's likely not going to lose much. He says "areas" -- is he talking about like Riverside County? And yeah, if the fans jump ship, I don't think they're real fans. So, to me, the way Spanos is portraying things really sounds kinda lame.

On the other hand, the Lakers (back when they were still the Lakers and not the Lakers of today) tried to block the Sacramento Kings from moving to Anaheim. It was about protecting market share -- granted they weren't worried about anything as high as 25-30 percent, but market share is market share. I thought it was good business of the Lakers back then. I can't really argue that much against Spanos trying to protect real or imagined market share backed by fuzzy numbers -- I mean even if it's really 2.5 to 3 percent of his business, that's still 2.5 - 3 percent of his business.

[Hacksaw]

He'll throw the kitchen sink in front of Stan if it would stop him,,, or at least squeeze some money out of him.

Monopoly is all poor Deano knows. Dad gave him the reigns when the Rams / Raiders left and look what he hasn't done with it since.
Now competition in an enemy market could do him in? To claim LA as his is preposterous.

I don't know who his sponsors are or where they are located,, but talking of fans you are looking at 10% of the number he posted, if that.
I get revenue lost is still lost no matter how small and I have to assume that the serious chance that the Rams are gaining steam toward LA has Dean going to plan "C".

[Elvis]

The idea that The Chargers are entitled to a vacant L.A. is absurd. What next, Padres ask MLB to relocate the Dodgers and Angels?

I'm probably reading too much into this but it wreaks of weakness and desperation to me...

[den-the-coach]

I'm probably reading too much into this but it wreaks of weakness and desperation to me...

Just another negotiation ploy the Chargers will claim that their ticket sales are high, but if there is a team in Los Angeles and it's not them, they will experience financial hardship. Again just the art of negotiation, but now I can understand why the Chargers are like a John Deer tractor in the playoffs, the come with an automatic choke!

[BuiltRamTough]

He sounds desperate. Perhaps he knows which way the owners are leaning? And he wants a Christmas present from Kroneke in December.

LA was right there for the taking. 20
Years! You snooze....you lose.

On a serious note. Stan can buy Dean and Davis off. 500 mill. Split it between the two and tell them both to stfu.

[Elvis]

Did you see Bernie's latest?

Stadium project is a test of ethics for NFL

Appealing to the NFL's ethics also seem like bargaining from weakness to me.

Though i have to say, it's too soon for the jig to be up. There's a 2015 season to be played which most likely means keeping all the balls in the air as long as possible...

[The Ripper]

How many teams get business from NY based companies? I used to work for a large company and we had suites in many different cities and the same thing can be said about a lot of companies. That high of a % of revenues is defiantly corporate support not fans and even with a team in LA a good amount of that support would remain.