On Friday the Chargers released a new video, something they’re calling a “sizzle reel,” to try and drum up support for their Downtown San Diego stadium/convention center initiative.
Entitled, “The Heart of San Diego,” it is the first video of the proposed project in the East Village and runs nearly five minutes long. It’s narrated by Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, who makes an attempt to pull on the heart strings of San Diegans.
“I am honored to be a part of this project,” said Fouts in a statement. “I love San Diego and I believe whole-heartedly in this vision and what the new facility can do for downtown and the future of the community.”
The video begins with beauty shots of San Diego then moves in to brief look at the Chargers on the field, showing some of the franchise’s greatest players and moments and paying homage to “our passionate sports fans.” The video is definitely attempting to create an emotional bond between the team and the fan base.
Almost 90 seconds in the moving pictures of the stadium start up. There are multiple aerial views and sweeping shots of the proposal, both of the stadium and the convention center proposals. Fouts talks about how the Chargers believe this project will benefit the city and people of San Diego.
However, the renderings are all labeled with the disclaimer, “Conceptual Design, Subject to Change.” That means this video still does not represent the full, final vision the Chargers are putting on the November ballot, which is in some way to be expected. Many projects undergo design changes after a vote.
The discouraging part is there is no mention of the number of luxury boxes or whether or not it will have a retractable roof or other important design elements that many fans (and City Hall) have been waiting on. It also does not address parking or traffic questions that have persisted. The video, while impressive, looks like a lot of repurposing of photo renderings we have seen previously. When asked if the video includes any new looks at the stadium concept a Chargers spokesperson replied, “It’s the first video of the project.”
At the end of the video Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos offers a few words, as well. Here it is in its entirety (video courtesy the San Diego Chargers):
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