Are San Diego Chargers Fans Being Played Again?

The Chargers will be playing at QUALCOMM this coming football season. They want to work on getting a new stadium built in San Diego. The team also announced that it has reached an agreement in principle with the Rams to join them a new stadium in Inglewood. So which is the? Our San Diego fans being played again? Joining me are The AjA Project -- Jim Steeg , welcome to the show. Jay Paris is also here a Mighty 1090 sports analyst. He is on his way to the Super Bowl in the bay area. Welcome. Thank you for having me. The Chargers owners want to stay in San Diego at the same time they are negotiating to move to Inglewood. Kandinsky crazier? This is a pretty good one. You have heard of a two track process, this is about a 15 track process. Is going to be interesting to see how it plays out. It certainly has the feel of a lame-duck season where you are really have 1 foot out the door but are trying to stick around for another year. Is just going to be interesting to see if the Chargers really do want to stay here. Really all their actions and words for the last year was that they wanted to go to LA. So we will see where it goes. Jim Steeg what did you think about the announcement from the Chargers on Friday? Certainly there are some things they have to get done. They had to make some decisions on where they were going to play and was going to happen. There are a lot of unanswered questions. Particularly -- they did not have cemented down where they were going to play if they want to LA this year. The commission did not vote yet on the authorizing a second team. Is hard to say you are going to go someplace and you are don't know where you're going to play. The windows are very tight. In order to get on the June ballot, this has got to be by March 10 that they have to do that. That is kind of [Indiscernible] to get done in less than a month. In order to put something on the November ballot, the citizens initiative is one of the things they've been talking about. That has to happen in May. The last day to put something on the ballot would be in August. The time windows are very tight here. Decisions are going to be made. What is going to be the process here long before we get to the football season. I guess it is fair to say it is convenient for the Chargers to play next year here in San Diego. Considering where they might have played in LA. We always talk about sandlot football -- if the count -- I think the best thing to keep in mind anyway here there are two bridges really in San Diego. The Coronado one in the $500 million bridge to get a deal done with the Chargers for the Stadium. The city still has a vote of $350 million in tax funds. They have to come up with a one-point 7 million roughly and personal state license which is like getting a cover charge to go into a restaurant and then spend money. There is a debate whether that will happen or not. So really a hard dynamic it has not changed -- whatever city bowls for that money. Many people thought there was a short will of people that would both anyway. That well might have been poisoned a bit by the team's actions last year. Before they can get any initiative on a ballot, the Chargers and the city and the region have to come to some sort of settlement on a plan. Jim you were on the mayor Stadium advisory board last year. You have any idea how far away the city and the county and the Chargers are on Stadium location and financing? I think what will happen right off the bat -- this is going to go back almost to square one. I think everything is on the table. As far as what the options are as far as locations in finance. Optimistic, I think there is enough money and opportunity to get this done between the money from the league and the team and community and all the other revenue sources of people that have to step up on the scenario like San Diego State. I think there is enough money to get this done is just a matter of everyone getting behind one issue. Is remember the city's portion of this right now is $200 million. If there is a boat that is going to be the vote that will be on the city's portion of this. The county does not have to take a boat and have decided not to. The city does not have to -- but it is the desire of the mayor to do so. Everyone gets behind this come August or come May and they have an agreement and every body is sitting at the same place, I think a campaign can be run that can be convincing. The other positive step takes place, the Chargers scheduled this year -- finishing in fourth place in the AFC West is fairly easy. This should not be a four and 12 season. If the league health and scheduling -- some of these home games can get them going on the right track towards a winning schedule. From what I have been saying San Diego elected officials like Mayor Faulkner are impressed with the new approach from Chargers owners Dean Spanos. Here is what he had to say about their meeting. The purpose was to let them know our family was committed to staying another year and giving this thing 100% effort. We all looked at each other in the eye and agreed that if we can get United on this thing there is no reason we can't get done. To look each other in the eye -- but we have heard a lot of stuff in the last year. How do we know if the Chargers are serious? Is of the same people that said they looked them in the eye and were optimistic in early June. It sounds like it's fine and people can rally around, but if this can be done, the blueprint is that -- they are to get out into the community and cell division and make it a win for everybody. The charger strong point has never been a marketing. It would take a complete reversal by the Chargers and how they are embraced by the community. Where were these business community leaders before? We have been put to the fire on the Stadium before and nobody has rallied around the Chargers like they do in some business communities and cities. I am skeptical. I think it can be done. But you know -- I have to see it. The time that words many -- mean anything has been long past. Have the Chargers agree to any negotiations yet? I don't know offhand. They were supposed to get together this week. Jim you make the point that there is this time crunch under way at the stadium initiative is going to get on this November's ballot. The reason it is important on the November ballot is because the timeline for the Chargers decision about Inglewood right? Yes it hats to get on the ballot by November. I don't see any possibility by Joan. One of the issues I remember hearing very distinctly when the Chargers spokesman said way back last February was they did not want to be on November ballot. Everybody was calling that the graveyard of ballot initiatives. There is going to be a ton of things on the ballot from every body. So it has to be well-crafted and figured out. But to get there in November -- if they are going to go the citizens initiative route it has to be done in May. Me go back to you -- which side you think has leverage going into any stadium negotiations? I kind of get tired of all of this leverage talk. Everybody trying to position stub and everybody trying to influence what is going on. I'm not sure what really has worked and what has not worked over the last year and a half to get there. Right now I think we have to quit worrying about leveraging. They have to sit in a room and get its done. There's no doubt the Chargers have a deal in Inglewood but we don't know what it is. Is that even as good as the deal they have at QUALCOMM? So I mean, that will come out. There is no doubt the way things leak. It will come out. So let me rephrase the question and ask you therefore what is the upside for the Chargers staying here in San Diego? The upside is being a big fish in a small pond. Living in the greatest city of the world. Your legacy as a rich guy -- everybody, the wealthy people all have lots of money. It is what your legacy is. Do you want your legacy to be a champion of San Diego? Passing down the team to your son. They could be here and another 50 years. Do you want to stay in San Diego and be looked at -- the ones that statue may be like Wharton has? Do you want to stay in some of the bracket as the leaders in San Diego? Dean Spanos hit a home run with this thing -- they beat us over the head with saying they want to go to LA. Sometimes you don't always get what you want. But sometimes you get what you need. In an interview with Dean Spanos he wishes he can wave a magic wand and change what happened last year and make it play out differently. How do you see that , is that regret for all of this bad things they said about San Diego? To some degree it is. Of the positioning and all that this and that the to race. I agree with what Jay said with the legacy should be. The other thing -- is the $550 million to move. That is a big number. For 11 years and you have to produce $50 million post-tax profit. In order to pay that debt off. I think that was an important factor. I think he really, I think right now looking at it, he knows the whole thing has to change. I would hope and the whole thing they turn around and are more out there and out for. He is addressing things himself. We have gone down to step now of two straight [Indiscernible] in addressing the media. We have done things on their website, giving back. We have to come to the point that he has to step up and take the bullets in the media and then let that get over with and go on down the road and start doing things up front. There is a blueprint here to make this happen. You can look at what the Padres did and other places, and it is there to be followed. There are a lot of steps but they have to get started now. Just when you think it is over it is not. I've been speaking with Jim Steeg , and Jay Paris. Have a great time at the Super Bowl. Thank you