The unliking of the SD-LA Chargers

Many social-media users switched their profile picture yesterday (January 12) to the new LA Chargers logo that's been modified to read "LAME."

This was in response to team owner Dean Spanos's breakup letter and updated profile photo (the new logo) that were posted on the Los Angeles Chargers Facebook page at approximately 9:00 a.m.

“I’m done as a Chargers fan! Spanos is willing to pay $600 million in relocation fees and rent to [L.A. Rams owner Stan] Kroenke but has too much pride to pony up the extra $100 million to get the stadium done in SD,” Ronnie Mac commented on the fan page. “Bye Felicia!”

Mac then changed his profile photo to the “LAME” logo.

“I’ve just taken a screenshot to see how many people unlike this page in the next 24 hours. What a horrible way to end 56 years in the same city,” commented Richard Hamilton, “[The] number of likes on [the] Chargers page was 1,699,160 when I took the screenshot.”

Hamilton’s post alone garnered over 4000 likes and 422 replies (in nine hours).

On a home computer or a laptop, it is a one-button-click process to unlike a Facebook page. On a mobile device though, a Facebook user is given one extra chance to change their mind, and two buttons pop up; "unlike" or "cancel."

By 9:11 a.m., the LA Chargers’ likes dropped to 1,676,012; 19 minutes later, almost 3000 more fans clicked "unlike," dropping it to 1,673,023 likes.

“After much deliberation, I have made the decision to unlike, unfollow, and no longer be a fan of the (LA) Chargers,” posted Kevin McGuire. “The SAN DIEGO Chargers have been my team for 29 years, my whole life! It has been a roller coaster ride of ups and downs but nonetheless it was my team, in my hometown. But today, we begin a new chapter…. I am officially a free agent and will be accepting meetings with other franchises and especially owners. And breaking up with us in a letter? Seriously!! Eat s——t and die, Dean. Sincerely, a San Diego Chargers Fan."

On Twitter, the reaction was different. At 10:07 a.m., the Chargers had 621,300 followers; 12 hours later the account had gained almost 2000 followers.

The Chargers’ Instagram account lost 2000 followers in the 15 hours after the Spanos letter was posted.

Some diehard Charger fans will not click the “unlike or unfollow.”

“I’ll stick with them,” said Mike Lambert, a graphic designer who used to watch the games at the Jack Murphy Stadium. After 35 years of fandom, he said that he “went through a test phase last year and couldn’t break away."

From 9:11 a.m. (January 12) to 12:11 a.m. the next day, the Chargers Facebook page garnered 44,554 unlikes.