Los Angeles Chargers

Fans divided after Chargers make their way to L.A.

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:30 p.m. ET

Fansided, Matt Pagels/FanSided via Bolt Beat

We all heard the news: The San Diego Chargers have officially become the Los Angeles Chargers.

It was a rough morning for most. Fans who grew up and still live in San Diego were devastated. Chargers fans who live outside of San Diego (including those who have never lived there but rooted for the team such as myself) seemed to take the news a little better but were still overwhelmed by the outcome. One fan threw a dozen eggs at the Chargers’ facility.

This was San Diego’s team. And in the blink of an eye, it just vanished.

Owner Dean Spanos put himself in a bad spot. The Chargers needed a new stadium badly, but both Spanos and the city couldn’t get a deal done in 15 years. Both parties are to blame, but the idea of moving two hours north to a city where majority of people are reportedly Rams and Raiders fans is both confusing and irritating.

Along with that, you just alienated a good portion of your disgruntled fan base. All of you (fans of the team or not) would agree with me when I say that it’s wrong of the Chargers to jump ship after 56 years, years in which die-hard fans from all over the world gave their hearts (and money) for this franchise. It’s the divorce of all divorces.

To move on that quickly will be tough for most. To be honest, the way Spanos and Co. dragged it out and handled the news, I would completely understand if some fans cut the Chargers out of their lives for good. I’m not a sensitive person, but even I know what he did was quite mean–and Chargers fans don’t deserve that. They originally started in Los Angeles in 1960 and played there for one season, but that doesn’t justify a move.

“Even though they won the AFL Western division championship in 1960, the Los Angeles Chargers received meager fan support so (Barron) Hilton, buoyed by the encouragement of San Diego sports editor Jack Murphy, moved his team 120 miles south to San Diego in 1961. – Chargers Team History

And what’s worse is that with this move comes the official divide between Chargers fans. Some are okay with the move and will still root for the Chargers going forward, barring a complete rebrand, while others are completely done. The worse part: Fans are bashing other fans for not sticking with their team. Even outsiders are bashing local Chargers fans for not attending enough home games, which they believe is the reason why the Chargers left for L.A.. It didn’t help that the Chargers ranked 31st in attendance in 2016 (Oakland Raiders were last even though they had a great season).

Everyone has a right to their own opinion; everyone has the choice to either stick with the Chargers, find a new team or stop watching the NFL altogether; everyone needs to understand that and respect each other. It’s not our fault that greedy owners can ruin what we all love and cherish with the snap of their fingers. It’s a tough business, and the fans usually lose.

With that said, are you really willing to be done with this team? It’s hard to look past at who the owner is, but would you feel like all the happiness, anger and tears that you endured over the years would be wasted?

Here are some of the replies on Twitter when we asked THE biggest question: Are you still a fan?

@BB_Chargers @MeghannLeigh_ burn it, don't give it to the homeless, they deserve better… we all do.

— eric (@gileric) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers I'll reluctantly still be a fan. Love the players, and have family that works with the team. The blue and gold can't leave me.

— Chris Bratt (@charlix33) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers my gear goes into a box, the "San Diego" chargers are gone. As a native SD I don't root for anything la.

— Arnie Gordon (@dreamerwestAG) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers having a rough time for sure that new logo is wack can we get a california chargers golden state?

— shane craddock (@shane_craddock) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers save it until Spanos comes crawling back because LA failed!

— Jose Aguilar (@joaguilar_209) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers keeping my stuff, but won't spend another second being with this team

— Jon Schein (@sunschein2131) January 12, 2017

@BB_Chargers man, it's hurting but I can't support them anymore..it's only one Chargers..The SAN DIEGO Chargers..

— Edu Stierbalov (@stierbalov) January 12, 2017