Opinions – Everyone Has Them…
Now everyone has had something to say as we head into the third week of negotiations between the City, the Chargers, over the Stadium situation.
And now the fans, the season ticket holders, and the citizens have spoken out.
In a 15-question survey authored by the Union-Tribune, residents in both the city and county were asked their opinions in the open debate over the future of the team, the potential of a vote on financing, and the need for a Stadium.
The city knows what it wants to do. The team has hidden within their corporate offices, never releasing their true feelings nor plans. The public has now told everyone the temperature of their feelings.
59% of those polled say it is important to them to keep the Chargers in San Diego, as a team, as a business entity. 40%, mostly non-sports fans, don’t believe this is life or death.
46% percent are now of the opinion this franchise will wind up in Los Angeles, predicting it’s all about the money, or it’s just impossible to get anything done civic wise in San Diego.
69% of the fans surveyed said they were Chargers or NFL fans.
The stunning number is that 60% polled said if the team moved to LA, they would no longer be a fan of the franchise, which means, they won’t attend games.
In the crossfire of verbal exchanges involving politicians and the team, involving Mark Fabiana, 68% say they disapprove of the way the Chargers have handled this situation.
And 51% now have a more negative view of ownership since the tidal wave of announcements three months ago, the task force, the Carson project, the proposal and the reaction responses.
The most consistent response from the community is that 54% say no tax funds should be used in the project. Only 51% say they would support the financing plan, even if it does not involve tax money.
60% of the tabulated responses indicated they are not confident the Mayor can get an agreement with the team that will be good for taxpayers.
So everyone is expressing ideas, concerns, approval anddisdain, and all that is important.
What should be important to the ownership of the team, is that the city, some season ticket holders, and those who will vote, are offended by the plethora of negativing coming out of Chargers Park as the community attempts to find a way to fund this project after 14-years of futility.
The owner cannot ignore what he has allowed his spokesman to do to this project. The Chargers have provided alot of white noise. But the franchise and the city cannot say this is meaningless noise from the taxpayers and football fans.
Maybe it can be saved at the negotiating table. Maybe the owner allowed his spokesman to forever poison the water.
Fame or shame is coming soon, somebody will be the hero, someone will be the villian.
