Lenny Ignelzi/AP
The San Diego Chargers’ Week 17 game against the Kansas City Chiefs could be their last in San Diego.
It’s no secret that the Chargers have been on the verge of relocating for several years. They decided to stay in San Diego for the 2016 season, but their hopes of a new stadium took a hit when a ballot initiative to receive public funding through a hotel tax did not pass during the election.
While a move isn’t official, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, there are “signs” in place.
One sign that raised flags is the Chargers’ decision to lease office space near Los Angeles. According to Schefter, the Chargers “leased part of a Costa Mesa office campus for next year so the team will have offices and a practice area should they move to Los Angeles.”
While the team could be giving themselves protection by securing space ahead of time should they move, it seems bold to put money down on space that wouldn’t be used if the team decided to stay in San Diego.
Schefter adds that barring a last minute “breakthrough” with the city of San Diego, many feel the team will be moving. If they do, they will be sharing a field with the Los Angeles Rams, acting as “tenants” for Stan Kroenke in Inglewood when their new stadium is opened in 2019, as Schefter puts it.
Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in November that no decision will be made until after the season. For now, it’s looking more and more likely that LA will have two football teams next year.