With renewed hope, Chargers fans rallied in Mission Valley Wednesday to support efforts to keep the team in San Diego.
Blue and gold-clad enthusiasts streamed into the Tilted Kilt for the event organized by the Save Our Bolts group. The rally comes as Chargers owner Dean Spanos mulls the option to move to Los Angeles with Stan Kroenke and his Rams.
The local Chargers fans said they are celebrating the fact that the “Los Angeles Chargers” are not a done deal.
"I've always told most of my peers and people that are lifelong Charger fans that they're going to stay. I've never doubted for some reason. It's been a gut feeling,” said Joe Lozano.
Save our Bolts rally at the Kilt! Fans sound off pic.twitter.com/2jKp4Vx2sx
— Dave Summers (@DaveSummersNBC7) January 14, 2016
Despite the ups, downs and uncertainty of the past year, many of the rallying fans have not lost their team loyalty, even if they are skeptical of its management.
That loyalty will even travel to Inglewood, for some.
“If they go to Los Angeles, I think I’ll still be a fan,” said Sergio Alvarez. “I've been a diehard Charger fan since I was a little kid, so I think it's kind of hard to let go."
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Others said their love is conditional on the Chargers staying put. One man told NBC 7 said if the team left, his loyalty would switch back to the San Francisco 49ers.
Much like watching the Chargers play, the fans said watching the NFL negotiations has been a rollercoaster ride, but the latest developments have left them hopeful.
On Tuesday, the NFL team owners in Houston granted Kroenke his wish to build a stadium in Inglewood and uproot the Rams from St. Louis to Los Angeles. During the same vote, the owners also gave Dean Spanos a year to work out a deal with Kroenke and decide if he wants to relocate the Chargers to the same stadium.
Spanos said he will need a few weeks to review his options and possibly form an agreement with the Rams.
But fans hope this delay means the Chargers can work out a stadium solution with the city of San Diego. City and county leaders have said they would be willing to restart negotiations, but only if the Chargers stop pursuing a move to LA.
"I'm gonna follow them no matter where they go because I am a Chargers fan, so whether they play here or play there, I will represent them,” said Red Vaughan. “But we're all the way to the end, until they have final say that they're leaving, I will support them. Save our Bolts."
