Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Downsize the NFL?

Maybe after the Super Bowl

The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.
The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.

Here’s a fun fact: the Los Angeles Chargers might sell out some games in 2017. They are likely to pull off this seemingly impossible feat by aiming small — as in 30,000 fans small. That’s the capacity of the StubHub Center, the soccer venue that will play host to the bastard child of the NFL that no city wants to claim as their offspring. The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.

Sponsored
Sponsored

So that theory is a bit far-fetched — “How on Earth could the Chargers sell out a stadium?” Well, a good start is to cut the size of the stadium in half. Actually, it’s less than half since Qualcomm Stadium clocks in at 70,561 seats. Also of note, the Chargers didn’t need 70,000 seats last year. The team averaged 57,000 fans per game in 2016, and according to the website Pro Football Reference, they just eked past the Raiders to take the trophy for worst overall home-game attendance with a total of 456,197. They were also the only team in the NFL, when home and away game attendance is combined, to not break one million.

So maybe downsizing is a good plan. The proposed East Village stadium was going to suffer some shrinkage. It was planned to be 61,500 seats with the ability to expand (maybe once or twice in its lifetime) to 72,000 if the city were to host a Super Bowl. The league has, surprisingly, been trending toward smaller stadiums as a means to protect markets from TV blackouts. The Raiders proposed a 56,500-seat stadium in Oakland back in 2013 that was likely a lock to ensure sell-outs. Since NFL owners share both ticket and TV revenues, balancing ticket sales with TV exposure is a big deal.

Besides those two factors, if the NFL learned anything from the Chargers’ recent battle with the City of San Diego, it’s that stonewalling expensive stadium projects may become a nationwide trend. The days of cities throwing down hundreds of millions of dollars for no NFL ticket or TV revenue on their end might be coming to an end. If so, the league needs a plan B, and the Chargers playing at the StubHub Center may be a hint as to where they are heading.

If you talked to anyone who saw Paul McCartney perform at Petco Park in 2014, they probably regarded it as a memorable show. If you talked to anyone who saw Paul McCartney play at Pappy & Harriet’s (a tiny BBQ joint near Joshua Tree) this past October, they likely verbally harassed you for an hour about how life-altering it was. The NFL may be inching toward a Pappy & Harriet’s model. The Chargers are likely to market this stadium as offering something along the lines of “an unbelievable opportunity to catch top-tier NFL gameplay in an intimate stadium where every seat places you next to the action!” The bad news, for fans, is that these seats aren’t going to go for Los Angeles Galaxy rates. Don’t be surprised if tickets for the 2017 Chargers home games are the most expensive in the NFL. The premium views will almost certainly come with a premium price.

Premium prices that disgruntled San Diego fans and lackadaisical L.A. fans alike may be unwilling to pay. So don’t be surprised if the Chargers’ home schedule is stacked with the likes of Green Bay, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Denver — the teams with the traveling fans. Imagine the oogly-eyes of a hardcore Cowboys fan when he finds out that he can come visit SoCal and check out a game practically next to the field instead of watching it on the Jumbotron in the nosebleeds like he is used to.

So it will be a gamble for the NFL, but a worthy experiment. The StubHub Center stadium cost $87 million to build, so if the Chargers pull a nice profit there, owners may start to rethink their grandiose stadium plans — especially if that money is going to be coming out of their pocket. One could envision an NFL with maybe four mega-stadiums (80,000–100,000 capacity) that would rotate Super Bowls, while the rest of the teams downsized and raised prices. For fans, going to games would likely become much more of a special occasion — unless you’re fortunate enough to be filthy, stinking rich. As for the owners, they have arranged it so they remain filthy, stinking rich either way.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pastor Lisa Perry finds God in dive bars

Conversations about tattoos turn into conversations about grace
Next Article

Crimes against San Diego pets

Kensington, Little Italy, Ocean Beach, City Heights, Tijuana, Prescott, Arizona
The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.
The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.

Here’s a fun fact: the Los Angeles Chargers might sell out some games in 2017. They are likely to pull off this seemingly impossible feat by aiming small — as in 30,000 fans small. That’s the capacity of the StubHub Center, the soccer venue that will play host to the bastard child of the NFL that no city wants to claim as their offspring. The Chargers will be stuck in this foster home until the DNA results from The Maury Povich Show come back and prove that Los Angeles Stadium is their new daddy.

Sponsored
Sponsored

So that theory is a bit far-fetched — “How on Earth could the Chargers sell out a stadium?” Well, a good start is to cut the size of the stadium in half. Actually, it’s less than half since Qualcomm Stadium clocks in at 70,561 seats. Also of note, the Chargers didn’t need 70,000 seats last year. The team averaged 57,000 fans per game in 2016, and according to the website Pro Football Reference, they just eked past the Raiders to take the trophy for worst overall home-game attendance with a total of 456,197. They were also the only team in the NFL, when home and away game attendance is combined, to not break one million.

So maybe downsizing is a good plan. The proposed East Village stadium was going to suffer some shrinkage. It was planned to be 61,500 seats with the ability to expand (maybe once or twice in its lifetime) to 72,000 if the city were to host a Super Bowl. The league has, surprisingly, been trending toward smaller stadiums as a means to protect markets from TV blackouts. The Raiders proposed a 56,500-seat stadium in Oakland back in 2013 that was likely a lock to ensure sell-outs. Since NFL owners share both ticket and TV revenues, balancing ticket sales with TV exposure is a big deal.

Besides those two factors, if the NFL learned anything from the Chargers’ recent battle with the City of San Diego, it’s that stonewalling expensive stadium projects may become a nationwide trend. The days of cities throwing down hundreds of millions of dollars for no NFL ticket or TV revenue on their end might be coming to an end. If so, the league needs a plan B, and the Chargers playing at the StubHub Center may be a hint as to where they are heading.

If you talked to anyone who saw Paul McCartney perform at Petco Park in 2014, they probably regarded it as a memorable show. If you talked to anyone who saw Paul McCartney play at Pappy & Harriet’s (a tiny BBQ joint near Joshua Tree) this past October, they likely verbally harassed you for an hour about how life-altering it was. The NFL may be inching toward a Pappy & Harriet’s model. The Chargers are likely to market this stadium as offering something along the lines of “an unbelievable opportunity to catch top-tier NFL gameplay in an intimate stadium where every seat places you next to the action!” The bad news, for fans, is that these seats aren’t going to go for Los Angeles Galaxy rates. Don’t be surprised if tickets for the 2017 Chargers home games are the most expensive in the NFL. The premium views will almost certainly come with a premium price.

Premium prices that disgruntled San Diego fans and lackadaisical L.A. fans alike may be unwilling to pay. So don’t be surprised if the Chargers’ home schedule is stacked with the likes of Green Bay, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Denver — the teams with the traveling fans. Imagine the oogly-eyes of a hardcore Cowboys fan when he finds out that he can come visit SoCal and check out a game practically next to the field instead of watching it on the Jumbotron in the nosebleeds like he is used to.

So it will be a gamble for the NFL, but a worthy experiment. The StubHub Center stadium cost $87 million to build, so if the Chargers pull a nice profit there, owners may start to rethink their grandiose stadium plans — especially if that money is going to be coming out of their pocket. One could envision an NFL with maybe four mega-stadiums (80,000–100,000 capacity) that would rotate Super Bowls, while the rest of the teams downsized and raised prices. For fans, going to games would likely become much more of a special occasion — unless you’re fortunate enough to be filthy, stinking rich. As for the owners, they have arranged it so they remain filthy, stinking rich either way.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Luxury addiction treatment on Country Rose Circle

Encinitas dry-out spa protected by federal law
Next Article

The Encanto girl who wouldn’t give up writing

From True Confessions to Oceanside massage parlor
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader