Indianapolis Colts

Chargers to decide on relocation after season

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:25 a.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI Wire/Sports Illustrated

NFL owners approved a final tenant-lease contract between the San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, allowing the Chargers to possibly move to Los Angeles if they can't get a stadium deal done.

The owners also approved a debt waiver the Chargers can use to pay for a part of the required $650 million fee for relocation.

Chargers chairman Dean Spanos said nothing will be decided until after the season is over. The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to use the option to move to Los Angeles..

"I’m not going to make any decisions until after the first of the year,” Spanos said to the San Diego Union Tribune. “That’s really all I have to say.”

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he didn't believe there was a viable stadium proposal that addresses the issues the Chargers have in getting a new stadium built.

"We’d like to help, but ultimately it’s for the community to decide,” Goodell said. “… We will continue to work with the local officials, but ultimately they have to determine what it is they want to do with the community and what can work for the community and the team.”

"At this point there is no reason for optimism in either market,” Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said. "I don't see anything productive going on in San Diego or Oakland."

The residents of San Diego have already rejected a measure that would have been been a start of building a new $1.8 billion NFL stadium and convention center for the Chargers.

The Oakland, Calif. City Council approved a resolution on Tuesday authorizing the city to negotiate to build a new football stadium for the Raiders. But Raiders owner Mark Davis is focused on a move to Las Vegas, where the state of Nevada is preparing to move forward on a $2 billion stadium project.

- Scooby Axson