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The San Diego Chargers will stay put in San Diego—at least for the upcoming season.On Friday, the Chargers released an official statement from team CEO and president Dean Spanos, who announced that the Chargers will play the 2016 NFL season in San Diego, but left open the possibility of a future move to Los Angeles. "I have met with [San Diego] Mayor Kevin Faulconer and [San Diego County] Supervisor Ron Roberts and I look forward to working closely with them and the business community to resolve our stadium dilemma," said Spanos. "We have an option and an agreement with the Los Angeles Rams to go to Inglewood in the next year, but my focus is on San Diego."
As part of the deal that brought the Rams to Los Angeles Inglewood, the Chargers have the option to share the future Inglewood stadium with the Rams. They now have until January 15, 2017 to decide on moving to Inglewood, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. That window can be extended another year to 2018 if a deal for public financing of a new stadium in San Diego is not approved later this year, says ESPN.
If the Chargers ultimately decide to stay put in San Diego, the option is then extended to the Oakland Raiders, who then also have a year to decide on whether they want to move or not. Last year, the Chargers and Raiders proposed a stadium in Carson that the two teams would share. NFL owners ultimately voted to approve only the Inglewood project by Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
"We are very supportive of the decision by Dean Spanos to continue his efforts in San Diego and work with local leaders to develop a permanent stadium solution," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "NFL ownership has committed $300 million to assist in the cost of building a new stadium in San Diego. I have pledged the league's full support in helping Dean to fulfill his goal."
The stadium in Inglewood is scheduled to open in 2019. Meanwhile, the Rams will play at the Coliseum, starting later this year when the 2016 season begins.