San Diego makes final pitch to NFL to keep Chargers
SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego city and county officials have made their final pitch to the NFL in what has been a contentious effort to keep the Chargers from moving to the Los Angeles area.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said earlier this month that the league wants certainty in proposals from San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis, which means no time for letting cities have voters decide the fate of stadium projects.
The Chargers, Raiders and Rams can file for relocation beginning Monday, the day after the regular season ends.
The Chargers walked away from negotiations in mid-June and have focused their efforts on building a stadium with their AFC West rivals, the Oakland Raiders, in Carson, California.
Quarterback Philip Rivers was on the verge of tears afterward as he talked about the fan support, and he, safety Eric Weddle, tight end Antonio Gates, wide receiver Malcom Floyd and coach Mike McCoy signed autographs for fans afterward.
Spanos has had the right to leave San Diego since 2008, but the team's efforts became more aggressive after Rams owner Stan Kroenke announced plans to build a stadium in Inglewood, also in the LA area.