What Happened to Qualcomm Stadium? ABANDONED?

The San Diego sports world was flipped upside down when the Chargers announced they would be moving to Los Angeles in 2016 after spending 15 years trying to get a new stadium built. San Diego/Jack Murphy/Qualcomm/SDCCU Stadium served as their home for almost 90% of their home games throughout their franchise history, and was host to countless other events throughout its own life. Events include Super Bowl 22, Super Bowl 32, Super Bowl 37, Supercross Championships, MotoX Championships, and concerts like The Who, The Rolling Stones, One Direction, and Coldplay. After more than 50 years of continuous use, officials had reached the conclusion that the stadium was at the end of its life, and redevelopment planning began. Join me in Modern Ruins Episode 7 as we recap the ENTIRE history of the Q and discover what the future holds for the site.
Corrections in order they appear in the video:
1. While Mission Valley is outside DOWNTOWN San Diego it is still inside San Diego city limits.
2. Charles Bidwell died in 1947 (Lamar Hunt was 15). Hunt and the investors were dealing with Bidwell's widow Violet and her new husband Walter Wolfman who were needing cash to relocate the team.
3. DEAN Spanos, not Dan.
4. Chiefs beat the Chargers in the latter's final game at Qualcomm, not vis versa.
What Happened to Qualcomm Stadium? ABANDONED?

[@LaBreeceTV]

Before sharing the correction you are about to comment, please see the current list of corrections in the description. There's not very many but I felt after 200 DEAN Spanos comments I should address them.

[@sumwonkool]

Lol. F Dean Spanos that’s right!

[@willybillr]

Book em Deanno!

[@AWDChargerPursuit]

Who’s Dan Spanos? I think you meant to say Dean lol

[@SpencerMosher]

You should have included all of the proposals for keeping the team in San Diego. There were many plans submitted including my own and the team did not make any effort to keep the team in San Diego. They kept giving everyone who submitted plans the run-around.

[@beanerofdoom619]

San Diego SUPER CHARGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@upside93]

Chargers never should have left San Diego. They'll always be the San Diego Chargers to me.

[@dwjoseph59]

San diego superchargers, i miss that saying

[@therealjaystone2344]

Ppl forget the clippers existed in SD too

[@Venom3254]

Raiders should've only been the team moved to LA, where they're at least wanted

[@FreddPhucks]

Many people from SD didn't give a shit about the Chargers. Most fans i know are from the valley, like myself. San Diego Charger fans took them for granted and came back.

[@FreddPhucks]

@@Venom3254 There's only fake fans in LA. They only like them for aesthetic purposes like color and logo. I know gangsters who "LOVE" them and rock all their gear but yet can't name set of players beside the occasional Jerry Rice and Charles Woodson. Jerry Rice... i think this shouldn't even get a pass. But to each their own.

[@jimmymac63]

I am close to tears watching this as well. I was stationed in San Diego at MCRD, from 1996 to 2000. I worked an extra job at Elite Show Services for both the Chargers and Padres. When I wasn't working there, I was taking my family to Coca Cola Family Nights for Padre games. We would pay $32.00 for parking pass, tickets, peanuts and sodas...sometimes programs included...We got bobble heads, clocks, and all kinds of free stuff during the games. As a security member, I got to meet many players and their family by simply just being there. I worked in the stands and on the field, wherever there was room for me. I loved the fans out there...They were warm and genuine sports fans. I was on the field on the first base side when Tony Gwynn came home after his 3,000th hit. I also remember every game chuckling as I watched Ricky Henderson stretching every free moment he could in the outfield between pitches...Those were such great memories. I will always hate Dean Spanos and his family with my whole heart for ripping that franchise away from San Diego. I truly hope he goes broke!

[@azuredusk991]

Do you ever got a picture with the legendary San Diego chicken

[@jimmymac63]

@@azuredusk991 No, I wish I did, but it was work. We were not allowed to do stuff like that.

[@Contreras-z4e]

😭

[@anonimous2451]

Should have invested that money into a mutual fund and it would still be growing today. Folks piss away fortunes chasing a fantasy that is not real. Reality check.......GET REAL with yourself FIRST.

[@scout3058]

Semper Gumby bro. I was an 0311 at Pendleton 88 to 92. Went to a baseball game there after Desert Storm.

[@yoshieeb]

I drove passed the stadium everyday watching it slowly get torn apart from the I-805. It hurt watching my childhood go man. Snapdragon is now built in it’s place in which I’m happy for SDSU. GO PADRES!

[@jwwj30]

Thank you so much for this heartbreaking video. As a Padres & Chargers fan since 1971, it’s like I was watching my own home movies. Living in SD since 1971, I had season tix to both teams & attended countless concerts including most of the same ones you covered. Graduating from SDSU, I also went to the Aztec games & 2 of the Super Bowls. You really did an excellent job with all the backstories on each chapter. I’ll keep this video & share it with all my fellow Padres, Aztec & Charger fans. The absolute best name was “The Murph” in respect for Jack Murphy, a fantastic sport’s columnist for our local paper.

[@dopehousex3]

Dean Spanos did the city of San Diego dirty. I'm glad to see his organization struggle in Los Angeles.

[@boogitybear2283]

He needs to sell the team and take them back to San Diego. LA could careless about the Chargers and they were started there in 1960 for 1 year.

[@JESUSCHRIST-ONLYWAYTOHEAVEN]

JESUS KNOCKS ON YOUR HEART AND LONGS FOR YOU TO ANSWER! HE DOESN'T WANT TO SEE ANYONE PERISH INTO HELL. GOD LOVES YOU SO HE GIVES YOU FREE WILL AND A CHOICE TO ACCEPT HIM OR REJECT HIM. TO LOVE HIM OR TO LOVE SIN/THIS WORLD. CALL UPON JESUS & ASK HIM TO FORGIVE YOUR SINS! SURRENDER YOUR WILL & YOUR LIFE TO HIM AND HE WILL GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN! PICTURE YOUR BEST DAY ON EARTH TIMES A BILLION FOR ETERNITY, THAT'S HEAVEN! NOW PICTURE YOUR WORST DAY ON EARTH TIMES A BILLION FOR ETERNITY, THAT'S HELL! HE WILL GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT SO IF YOU REJECT HIM YOU WILL BE SEPARATED FROM HIM & HIS BLESSINGS (LOVE, PEACE, JOY, HOPE, REST, ETC). IN HELL YOU WILL BE ALONE WITHOUT GOD OR PEOPLE, YOU WILL BE HOPELESS, YOU WILL BE IN DESPAIR & AGONY FOREVER! GOD'S STANDARD FOR HEAVEN IS PERFECTION AND ONLY JESUS (THE SON OF GOD/GOD IN THE FLESH) LIVED THAT PERFECT LIFE! HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE & TOOK THE WRATH OF THE FATHER ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR SINS! GOD IS JUST SO HE MUST PUNISH SIN & HE IS HOLY SO NO SIN CAN ENTER HIS KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST ON JUDGEMENT DAY GOD WILL SEE YOU AS HIS PERFECT SON (SINLESS SINCE YOUR SINS ARE COVERED BY JESUS' OFFERING). YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE TO REJECT JESUS' GIFT/SACRIFICE & PAY FOR YOUR OWN SIN WITH DEATH (HELL) BUT THAT SEEMS PRETTY FOOLISH! GOD SEES & HEARS EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SAID & DONE. YOU WONT WIN AN ARGUMENT ON JUDGEMENT DAY & YOU CANT DEFEND ANY OF YOUR SINS TO HIM. WE'RE ALL GUILTY WITHOUT ACCEPTING JESUS' SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS! MUHAMMAD DIDN'T DIE FOR YOUR SINS, BUDDHA DIDN'T DIE FOR YOUR SINS, NO PASTOR/PRIEST/MARY OR SAINT DIED FOR YOUR SINS, NO IDOLS OR FALSE GODS DIED FOR YOUR SINS, NO ACTOR OR CELEBRITY DIED FOR YOUR SINS, NO ATHLETE OR POLITICIAN DIED FOR YOUR SINS! JESUS CHRIST ALONE DIED FOR YOUR SINS & WAS RESURRECTED FROM THE GRAVE! HE IS ALIVE & COMING BACK VERY SOON (THESE ARE END TIMES) WITH JUDGEMENT! PREPARE YOURSELVES, TURN FROM SIN & RUN TO JESUS! IT'S NOT ABOUT RELIGION, TITHING, CHURCH... IT STARTS WITH ASKING HIM TO FORGIVE YOUR SINS & INVITING HIM INTO YOUR HEART/LIFE, SURRENDER ALL TO HIM! IT'S ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CREATOR. HE KNOWS YOUR PAIN & TROUBLES, TALK TO HIM LIKE A BEST FRIEND! ASK HIM TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO YOU & HELP YOU TO BELIEVE IF YOU DOUBT! DON'T WAIT TO CRY OUT! NO ONE IS PROMISED TOMORROW! HE LONGS FOR YOU TO INVITE HIM IN, HE LOVES YOU MORE THAN ANY PERSON EVER COULD, HE CREATED YOU! Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."-John 14:6 "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."-Matthew 10:33 “For the wages of sin is death (hell), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”-Romans 6:23

[@sayjaibao01188]

@@boogitybear2283 SD is a small market. Any teams that move there would lose value.

[@georgecampbell302]

Sorry , But that is untrue. Spanish tried for over 20 years to get a new stadium in the San Diego. The Chargers and NFL offered 800 million towards a new stadium. Politics , placement of stadium and a Nonsense vote by the city on Gotel tax rates ended it. He never wanted to leave. The truth needs to be told.

[@jrsands]

@@georgecampbell302 You are correct George. These, probably young bucks have no reference to the history or the facts. They continue to swallow the hate from the ignorant without any truthful perspective. The Spanos submitted at least 10 proposals to the city. I recall one in the’90s that would have been 100% privately funded if only the city would allow the team to use bay front land the city was given for nothing by the Navy because the Navy closed a slew of bay front acreage. As I recall the city accepted an alternative proposal from some other private developer/military equipment manufacturer instead of the Chargers. Then there was the National City proposal, the Oceanside proposal, the Chula Vista proposal & others that never came together. Besides, the Chargers are the ONLY current professional football team to originate in Los Angeles. They’re the ONLY truly Southern California NFL team in existence. The Rams came from Cleveland & we all know where the nomadic Raiders came from.

[@myothercarisadelorean8957]

38 year old SD native. I still remember going to the Murph/Q with my Dad to watch 90s Chargers. Humphreys, Means, Seau... good times! Fast forward to the last 15 years until they finally left and every season was the same bullshit..... Games were blacked out because not enough attendance. The thing you have to understand about San Diego is yes we have sports teams but we're not dedicated. There's a reason why cities like Kansas City or Green Bay have dedicated fans, because there's nothing else to do on a Sunday is those cities. I would say the 3 reasons why outsiders call us shitty fans: 1. The weather is great and there is a lot to do within the city. Most people don't want to waste their Sunday getting drunk and watching a greedy owner's team. 2. Most residents are transplants. Cost of living has drove out most natives and in comes a lot of east coasters rooting for their home team. 3. The price to attend a game. As they say in New York, " Fuhgeddaboudit!!!!" We not only pay high cost of living, but high gas, high taxes, high insurance. At the end of the day, nobody has money to go watch a Chargers game. Hell I went to a Padres game this past summer and paid nearly $30 for 2 beers. I mean WTF!

[@housinauthority5258]

Thanks for the insight, I think you hit the nail on the head!

[@granddaddyHerps]

I agree. I can't tell you how many games I would attend and our chargers fan base was completely outnumbered. Fans didn't speak up until it was too late, and fans never attended the games. Our strong military presence brought alot of outsiders that never left.

[@williamharrison54]

Do yourself a favor and leave san diego and california. Best decision i ever made.

[@granddaddyHerps]

@@williamharrison54 not everyone lives the life that you do. Happy leaving California is better for you. I have deep roots here and alot of family here as well. I make a good living and I love it here. I'm not going anywhere.

[@michaelmarkson3564]

I mean, I'm loyal to the Padres, since ownership never showed open contempt for the fanbase in the same way the Chargers' ownership did. I also used to love going to games at Petco Park when the Pads were really bad, since they were practically giving upper deck tickets away.

[@dylmwidner]

Spanos didn’t want to spend any money on a new stadium, but instead spent almost $700 million just to MOVE his team.

[@desertfalcon]

San Diego is my hometown. In 1966, I saw San Diego Stadium as a hole in the ground, during early construction You’ve done a very good job researching the history of San Diego Stadium thank you for your honorable presentation. Great Job!

[@Missileworksllc]

Still can’t believe that stadium is gone. Growing up in San Diego going to countless chargers games, monster jams, and motocross event there as a kid to being 16+ racing cars there with scca and their Friday night drag racing. I lost all charger fandom after the move and now my home town doesn’t quite feel like my home town anymore. Oh well, go Broncos I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Jack_Rockies5]

Broncos are a goot team to root for let's go Broncos

[@azuredusk991]

Brock’s country let’s ride

[@tmc4988]

anyone watching this video who has no attachment to that stadium will never understand how sad it is to see it go. I grew up in san diego and i went to that stadium a lot. To watch chargers games but also for other events as well, I had so many good memories growing up at that stadium and it was sad to see it just demolished like it was nothing.

[@penelopelgoss2520]

I'm there with you Tom!!! 3rd Generation San Diegan, grew up in Mission Hills. It was the centerpiece and pride of San Diego. Huge accomplishment for the city! I went to school with the Hope kids. It was a beautiful design. ... I saw the SoFi stadium picture today in the LA Times. They have steps!!! Oops, Ever seen a drunk person or a large amount of people try to exit of a stadium with steps. Eeek!!! Frank was imaginary when he design the four huge ramp rounds on the outside corners.

[@IMCcanTWEESTED]

I was an Ozzie's Marching Charger from 1962-1966. We played the halftime shows on the field at San Diego "Balboa" Stadium from 1962-1965 when construction began on Jack Murphy Stadium. Ozzie's Band was on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony with Mayor Frank Curran. How old do you think it makes me feel to have played for the groundbreaking when I was 12 and see it gone now forever. The Hospital I was born in (Navy Hospital in Balboa Park...ALSO gone) it's like my life is getting erased before I'm even dead!

[@alan30189]

Many cities went with multipurpose Stadiums and they all decided to go back to having a regular baseball stadium and a regular football stadium, each that were better designed for their sport. Plus, they all wanted these luxury boxes for corporations to wine and dine customers in. That’s big money. It’s all about the money and cities and fans usually wind up on the short end of the stick. I personally think it’s stupid to have two NFL teams playing in the same city and in the same stadium. The Stadium has to be a generic stadium and has to be redecorated every week. It’s idiotic.

[@slidin122]

Remember “The Murph”

[@garymorrison4713]

D3 ز

[@charlespage8692]

Its an absolute damn shame San Diego lost the Chargers. I hope the business community and local government of SD get their heads out of their asses and work out some sort of miracle to get the Chargers a new stadium and get them back! LA Chargers is just an abomination. And I'm saying this as a Vikings fan. San Diego deserves it's Chargers back!

[@dwjoseph59]

Yep

[@dansal4726]

It doesn't benefit the Chargers or San Diego for the team to return. San Diego isn't a sports town and it's history has shown the people there won't support a sports team both in land development and financially. It was only after the team left that they passed a sports conplex resolution. Attendance was down and fans from opposing teams would take over the stadium way before Dean took over the team, unless the team was actually good. This is something you don't see with a fan base that doesn't have other major sports teams in the area besides the Padres. The Chargers are making more money in LA and lets be honest they have the same amount of fan attendance as they did in San Diego. Anyone who lives in the area knows that the Chargers used to their advantage the proximity to the Naval base to fill the stadium as they do now with opposing fans to fill SoFi. The reality is the fan base was not growing and the lack of support was evident and though San Diegonians may be bitter, it's the truth. Just look at the lack of support now for the Aztecs, when just 4 years ago the city and so called fans promised to support heavily and even before covid they couldn't fill arenas. Lets not forget about Petco, when the Padres crippled at the end, fans didnt come support and opposing teams took over. There are to many transplants for San Diego to grow a fan base for any sports team, which is why teams always leave.

[@noahg4978]

The NFL makes billions of dollars in revenue every year. They can pay for one themselves.

[@therealjaystone2344]

STL had their $790M back from Kronke (it’s nothing too him tho)

[@therealjaystone2344]

@@dansal4726 SD sports also has a curse too

[@abrahamjackson6019]

Lifelong San Diego resident , traveling the 15 and 805 freeway it's hard not seeing "The Murph" .

[@penelopelgoss2520]

Yup, coming west on the 8 then as you stated on the 15 and the 805.

[@bradbundy1471]

Well done. I will always call them San Diego Super Chargers. They belong in San Diego, period. 🏈🏖️

[@sjdrifter72]

No they don't. They're the only NFL team to originate in L.A., that's where they're from and that's where they'll stay. Wait for an expansion team to come your way.

[@davidochoa774]

@@sjdrifter72 Only for one season. The reason they left for San Diego was they were struggling to attract fans. The Chiefs were the Dallas Texans from 1960 to 1963 before moving to Kansas City to become the Chiefs.

[@heavenboy4493]

@@davidochoa774 that was like 60 years ago dude baseball was the most popular sport back in that time 😂 im sure it was hard to attract football fans around that time football didn’t get really popular till like the 70’s-80’s

[@heavenboy4493]

There LA CHARGERS They started here for 1 year and they should’ve never left but there back now to stay.

[@WARPONY1973]

I worked there last year while demolition took place. Lots of good memories went down with it. It was really sad to see it go. 💔😢

[@massivepassive]

I would have loved to snag a piece of it 😢

[@WARPONY1973]

@@massivepassive yeah man I wish I could of got a seat at least.

[@TheThunderbird63]

we hopped the fence Thanksgiving week 2020, two separate times, and explored the whole thing top to bottom. I made a point of filling my pockets with concrete chunks from Section 39 Field Level, Row 10 where my family's season ticket seats had been for so many years. I grabbed a few signs and a few seat backs from the pile on the field too. I did get a yellow seat from the press level, pretty proud of that.

[@WARPONY1973]

@@TheThunderbird63 I wish I could of done that! Right on man!

[@penelopelgoss2520]

@@WARPONY1973 I didn't know until after the event that they DID sell Seats! I would have loved to get something from there other than all the pics I took before, during and after demo. It was a sad countdown. Bit by bit. Being there when the last bit came down was a true tear jerker for many of use who were there watching.

[@TracksideViews]

Desperate for a new stadium they settled for sharing a stadium with another team. Hated to see the Chargers turn it’s back on San Diego.

[@ladyfire44]

The coinage Fuck You, Spanos was born.

[@SanDeezyBreezy61986]

@@rxrinaz6536 wrong. The fix was in from the get-go. Spanos wanted out. He never acted in good faith. San Diego was willing to give him a new stadium in the existing Mission Valley/QUALCOMM space. He wanted downtown because the property would be worth more. When it came up for a vote, only San Diego residents were allowed to vote on it, not the county. There are plenty of Chargers fans who live in the county who didn’t even get a say. By that time, charger fans were fed up with Spanos constantly threatening to leave and the teams perennial under performance, not to mention extraordinarily high ticket prices to go to an outdated stadium.

[@ricardotheronan5885]

Sharing a stadium with a team in the Super Bowl....the Chargers fail again.

[@SanDeezyBreezy61986]

@@ricardotheronan5885 a team that’s been to the Super Bowl two times in the past three years. Rams won the “Fight for LA.” Chargers are a homeless franchise with no fanbase or home field advantage.

[@SanDeezyBreezy61986]

@@rxrinaz6536 what the hell are you talking about? Spanos wanted a downtown stadium because the real estate would’ve been worth much more than Mission Valley. That’s what we voted on in Measure C! It was literally called Downtown Stadium Initiative. It was never going to pass because voters didn’t want to give him any money and realized the cluster fuck that downtown would become with another stadium, not to mention all of the infrastructure that would need to be added to accommodate it.

[@PaulMcElligott]

Moving the Chargers to L.A. was one of the dumbest moves in organized sports history. Only putting an NFL team in London would eclipse that. L.A. just isn’t a big enough football town to support two teams. We didn’t even ask for the Chargers to move here. The NFL just threw them in like some kind of Happy Meal toy. Even with the team here in L.A., I’d guess that most true Charger fans still live in San Diego. L.A. has barely noticed they have one NFL team, much less two. It doesn’t help that, of the four most hated owners in the league, L.A. is now stuck with two of them, and the manner in which two cities were screwed out of their teams only makes the rest of the country hate L.A. even more. So, thanks for that, Goddell. Don’t get me wrong. As a Rams fan dating back to the days of Jack Youngblood and Lawrence McCutcheon, I’m happy to have our team back where they belong. St. Louis can whine all they want, but they stole the Rams from us first, so glass houses and all that. I just wish Stan Kroenke didn’t come along with the deal. With that in mind, while I would prefer to see the Chargers back in San Diego, I suspect the city would rather have a salmonella outbreak than deal with DEAN Spanos again.

[@LaBreeceTV]

Yes DEAN.

[@SanDeezyBreezy61986]

You are correct. He is persona non grata in San Diego. He burned that bridge and this city would never, ever welcome him back. His only recourse now is to continue to fail in LA and pass that losing tradition to his sons, or to sell the team to a more competent owner.

[@therealjaystone2344]

The first dumbest move for a SD team to LA was the Clippers back in the 80s. NBA didn’t even approved the relocation to LA at all yet did it anyways.

[@PaulMcElligott]

@@therealjaystone2344 No argument there. The Clippers think building a new arena next to SoFi will get them out of the Lakers shadow, but it won’t. If they knew what was good for them, the Clippers would move to Seattle before the Kings beat them to it.

[@therealjaystone2344]

@@PaulMcElligott I think the Thunder moving back to Seattle would be better since OKC is cursed. Clippers can go back to SD.

[@j.r.777]

So some inaccuracies in this video. I am a native San Diegan and “USED” to be a die hard San Diego Chargers fan. The Spanos family ALWAYS wanted to move to Los Angeles. When they bought the team in the late 80’s and Los Angeles still had the Rams and Raiders, Alex Spanos began threatening to move to Los Angeles and make it a 3 team market. The city of San Diego cow towed to the Spanos family continually. The ticket guarantee, the stadium expansion and then 3 years later bugging once more for a new stadium but always wanting the tax payers to pay for it just like they did with everything before. It’s almost like it was a learned behavior! Spanos and his lackey claimed that they tried for decades to get a new stadium. That is a lie! They tried for over a decade to get the tax payers to pay for a stadium! Then they did the downtown vote because they knew that it would require a 2/3 majority vote as opposed to a simple majority vote anywhere else. And the Spanos family knew who to piss off to make sure the vote would fail so they could move to Los Angeles after wanting to do so for decades. They got a top 3 stadium in the world for a whopping $1.00 a year and that was it. So Spanos could care less that the home games for the Chargers has very little actual fans and in some cases, a lot of opposing fans. He is still receiving revenue from said ticket sales. The NFL, the Chargers and certainly the Spanos family are dead to me. But then again I have permanently boycotted all professional sports because it’s clear that stuff is rigged, they’re now all political, and all about money and greed and watching them is no longer entertaining for me. I now do other stuff and have no regrets. I’ll always have really good memories of The Murph (I refused to call it Qualcomm or the Q as well) but those days are long gone. I no longer live back home anymore either but I would love to see Dean Spanos go bankrupt, get caught up in a sex scandal wearing female lingerie and then take a wrong term in Los Angeles, wind up in Compton with his vehicle broke down and see a bunch of pissed off Raiders fans gang bangers whose team got blocked from being able to move back to Los Angeles take Dipshit Dean and go full on Deliverance on him and make him squeal like a pig as he is bent over a fire hydrant since there are no tree stumps in the urban environment of Compton or LA!

[@myothercarisadelorean8957]

F Dean Spanos

[@TheThunderbird63]

The 1984 expansion on the east side of the stadium was largely because of his demands once he took over from Gene Klein (although Gene Klein had been trying to get the Murph expanded back in 1978-79). I don't think he paid for that one either, or the scoreboard upgrades in 1985-86. The 1997 enclosure was also largely because of him; since he failed to get a new stadium, expansion was the next best thing, and worsened an already decaying stadium. If they had left it as it was during the Jack Murphy era, and maintained/updated it, it would still be a great football stadium to this day, except for the bad baseball-oriented sightlines. Spanos is, always has been, and always will be, a slimy greedy fuck. Just like his family was back in the day ripping off farm workers with sandwiches.

[@GN702]

All that venting and you'll STILL not steal anyone's team away ever! 😆

[@j.r.777]

@@GN702, I don’t want anyones team. Including the Chokers, even if they got new ownership and moved back to San Diego. I hate the NFL and all professional sports now. I have a lot more enjoyment now doing other things. But I was never really a huge sports fan in the past either though. I liked the Chargers at one time but have always hated the Spanos family because they were and still are terrible owners. But in 2011 or 2012 I predicted exactly what would happen in how they would move to Los Angeles. They would either wait until the stadium expansion was paid off or the amount owed was drastically decreased, set up a half hearted plan that was intentionally designed to fail and then leave. And then when Kroenke moved, made plans to build his top 3 stadium in the world and had to allow the Chargers to move in, then everything was a forgone conclusion. Of course now with Dean only having to pay $1.00 a year in rent there is no real incentive for him to actually have to do anything there to get fans either so Kroenke got screwed in that deal but I think he’s okay with it because had the Raiders moved in then there is a huge possibility that they would have been more popular than the Rams. But trust me, I don’t care where the Chargers play. I no longer live back home and escaped from Commiefornia long ago. I just hate the Spanos family and truly do hope the worst for them because they are huge pieces of crap!

[@kyoakland]

Damn have a drink bro

[@chanceraynor2751]

The final event at the stadium was the Holiday Bowl in 2019. It was not played without anyone in attendance. I was one of the 50,123 in attendance at that game. It wasn't known at the time that it would be the final event. I'm glad I was there for that last time though. Being at the last event caps off so many great memories there. I attended my first Padre game in the summer of 1969 and grew up with the Padres in that Stadium. I still remember it as San Diego stadium before it was changed to Jack Murphy and then later Qualcomm. Watching them tear it down was like saying goodbye to an old and faithful friend.

[@2Addictive]

The people of San Diego lost both their NFL team and stadium. I feel bad for them.

[@brycemcdermaid7995]

Don't. Best thing that could have happened. It was an eye sore.

[@slofool]

Spanos can pay rent in LA for all we care.

[@Osiiris48]

theyre almost done with a brand new stadium for the Aztecs

[@joemcnulty6814]

Don't be, they go what they deserved

[@TheAlbin0zebra]

There's a new modern stadium now and chargers suck ass

[@aaronluna4779]

Thank you ma brotha for making this video. Nobody seems to talk about the Murph anymore, at all. This was truly a madhouse the final year of SDSU football. Going to that final game, we all kind of felt that this would be the last game we'd all go to. I will forever cherish my ticket stub R.I.P The Murph/The Q (1967-2021)

[@jhollie8196]

First Charger game, 1968 with my grandfather and dad. Seeing the field in person for the first time was a great experience. John Hadl and my hero Lance Alworth. I’ll never forget those days. Plus it was easy to get tickets back then and did not cost an arm and leg like like today.

[@danzo3471]

I was just going through a scrapbook and found my brother and my father and i's ticket stubs to the very first Padre game in 1969 when they beat the Astros. Great memory

[@tonymeehan7859]

I grew up watching the early 80s Chargers, Fouts/Joiner/Winslow/Muncie.....those days were so awesome watching these games at Jack Murphy. Followed the Chargers a long time - until...the move. LA Chargers did not sit with me at all. I guess Rivers felt the way most ppl did, very emotional about the whole thing. SD was gone Rivers was gone, and so was I as a fan. It still bothers me to see all the history I grew up with as a Chargers fan now in LA. I hate the Rams, and it just doesn't sit well with me that the franchise sold the city out to pair up with them. RIP San Diego Chargers

[@markjensen7091]

Personally, I feel that San Diego doged a massive financial bullet when the Chargers left. Let Spanos' team fail in LA and hopefully someone offers him a huge offer that will allow the Chargers to go home. Thankfully many cities in CA have realized that subsidizing professional sports is a bad investment. The people that own sports franchises are BILLIONAIRES they can afford to build it on their own, they don't need the publics help. The reason a team fails is not because of the stadium or the players, it's ownership that fails the team. If the owner invests in the team and produces a winning product, the fans will fill the seats. Case in point the Dodgers and the Patriots. The new ownership of the Dodgers post Macourts and Craft have turned those franchises around into the powerhouses that they are.

[@chriskay1449]

This is so utterly false. And no the billionaires can't afford to build them on their own since they cost over a billion to make these days. AS for the rest of your false post, I can present examples showing that poublic investment is a good thing. The Milwuakee Bucks, are a great example of this. They got together with the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and the state of Wisconsin to build Fiserv Forum. That has been a boon for the city as it has started a re-development of downtown and now produced a title. IT is also hilaroious that you use the Patriots to make your case when they had almost all of their success AFTER they tore down Foxboro Stadium and built Gillette Stadium. Bob Kraft was able to turn his team into a powerhouse because he made more money made from Gillette Stadium than he ever did at the Pats previous home.

[@khunopie9159]

doged...

[@paperdo]

Taxpayer funded stadiums are the most crooked scam ever. Not only does the taxpayer fund the stadium. Than they can go and get gouged for parking, concessions, and ticket prices. In the stadium that they funded. Plus, don’t forget, every 10-15 years that team can threaten to move if the taxpayer doesn’t fund renovations too. There are ways to do it correctly do a partial or fully taxpayer paid stadium. But, no nfl owner would go for it nowadays.

[@333Yakuta]

Warriors also did this once getting a new ownership group.

[@ellamcclanahan9811]

That is not true California has no heart for there teams look at the Raiders they never struggled getting things done so glad they moved out of that shit state Florida never has the problems with NFL teams that California does and yeah they had three garbage teams until brady went to the bucks the Rams are good at the moment yet they are at or over the cap with no young players so they are soon gonna suck and the chargers have always been decently good in the best division in football San Diego can build a shitty baseball stadium and close down all the good restaurants on the ocean next to it and put Anthony's out of business and your shitty city can't build a stadium

[@lionsfan7500]

Awesome frigging video! You were awesome explaining everything to us. I'm fascinated by the history of older stadiums and the teams that played in them, so this is right up my alley.

[@LaBreeceTV]

Lions squeezed into this one as well.

[@lionsfan7500]

@@LaBreeceTV lol they sure did. Winning the first he game ever at the Murph. Usually when the Lions are referred to in a video it's always a bad reason and that's the joy of being a Lions fan lol. Merry Christmas my friend

[@vagrante13]

Mission Valley is not outside of San Diego. It is in the city of San Diego.

[@jre617]

As a SD resident at the time, I voted against any public funding for a privately held NFL team's stadium. $1 to $2 billion for eight days a year, just ain't worth it, and it's not the public's responsibility. So the Chargers moved to LA (as did the Clippers) and have only a minimal fan base.

[@TheThunderbird63]

Great video. Yep the Padres became second-class tenants in their own stadium after it was enclosed in '97. Had they built Petco Park a few years earlier, they might have demolished the Murph in 97-99 instead of expanding it, and built a new football stadium. The Chargers were already asking the city for a new stadium as early as the 1993-94 season (maybe even earlier), and back then the team was a little more willing to pay for things so it could have happened. But, the Padres didn't even think about building Petco until after it was enclosed and pretty much ruined for baseball. And, getting into the 1998 World Series helped win over the voters, without that Petco probably wouldn't have been built earlier. Wish they could have worked something out, and maybe fixed it up. Back in 2003 they came out with plans to modernize it, but keep the exterior of the original 1967 stadium. In effect, build a new stadium inside the shell of the old one. I think the NFL said it wasn't good enough. Yeah, it was a total dump the last 20 years, but it was our dump. And the original stadium was such a phenomenal example of Brutalist architecture, and a San Diego icon. At least it was a lot nicer than the Oakland Coliseum. Rip The Murph!

[@StaYUTI420]

Took the words out of my mouth, this is exactly how I feel about the whole situation too.

[@marvinshenk]

I live in LA, and I was at the Chargers game vs the Broncos when Ladanian Tomlinson broke the RB Touchdown record. Qualcomm stadium seemed pretty dope. The Chargers could have stayed there, and I think San Diego Chargers fans got screwed in the deal. Sofi Stadium looks awesome, but Qualcomm Stadium had a really cool vibe to it.

[@_nick_d]

That stadium is a dump dude. I went 6-7 yrs bk, place is trash. The lions have a better stadium.

[@ernestogastelum9123]

@@_nick_d Spanos was negelcting the stadium on purpose. ever since he inherited the team, he wanted to move the Chargers to LA

[@Nexusofgeek]

@@ernestogastelum9123 yep, he could have remodeled it but the greedy bastard was eyeing a bigger market. F&&k Spanos

[@andrewmartin9735]

This stadium was located INSIDE the city of San Diego

[@cuseyeti_one8three]

While stationed in SD in the early 90's, I saw several Chargers and Padres games at Jack Murphy. Not the best venue, with no public transit access and upper-level seats having you watch the game bent in half looking through your feet.

[@thehawkeyerailfan9406]

I was at the final holiday bowl game in 2019 as a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band. That stadium was so old and worn out. It seemed like a fine stadium until you looked at the details. The seats were broken and the bathrooms were tiny, and the concrete was showing its age. The image that will stick in my mind is the tiny video board that made it look like an NFL game from 2004. It was cool knowing you were at the last event at such a legendary venue. Oh, and the field grass was TERRIBLE!

[@edbenson98]

The same thing happened to the Orange Bowl in Miami. Lots of memories but the place was falling apart at the seams so they built Joe Robbie stadium!

[@fredyllanos8972]

Went to a game there, once. Was surprised by how “vintage it looked.

[@LEFTaTIP]

Dean Spanos rec'd millions to renovate Qualcomm stadium for his own profits, The Spanos family makes MILLIONS from the NFL TV contracts but for 34 yrs, Dean Spanos rarely invested in the city or the stadium ...Dean didnt even want to buy his own San Diego fans a new scoreboard. See the vintage pictures from the 80's to 2010 same old scoreboard. F-U Dean Spanos. LA is already seeing and experiencing a bottom level pro sports owner .

[@turtle19dad]

Steinbrenner hated the field in 98 during the WS.

[@alfredodeleonjr.]

I used to live 5 minutes away from the stadium. I will always remember when my dad took me to my first baseball game when I 9 years old. Ever since I been a huge Padres fan. It was always great to see my favorite players, Tony Gwynn, Tony Fernandez and Benito Santiago.

[@loyalrammy]

I used to live in Tierrasanta, a couple of exits north of the stadium. I saw Tony Gwynn play. Plus, I saw a home run competition between Tony and his brother at San Diego Jack Murphy stadium befor a game. I think his brother was called Chris Gwynn, and played for SDSU’s baseball team….

[@ilovephotography1254]

Musical chairs in LA with the Rams and the Chargers. The Raiders and Rams leave. The Rams return and now share a stadium with the Chargers. Raiders go to Las Vegas. It's a joke at the expense of the fans and cities

[@bronxsportsfan]

Fact: Jack Murphy was the brother of legendary baseball announcer, original New York Mets announcer and Ford Frick inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame Bob Murphy.

[@docswatchbox8321]

My wife and I had our first date there. She’s a SD native Padres fan and I’m a Silicon Valley SF Giants fan. So many memories there with our family, despite being a 49ers/Giants fan. I always pulled for San Diego to do well, just not against us. 😄 It’s heartbreaking to see that video. I hope and pray that SD gets its Chargers back, as that is where they belong. I love it when sportscasters slip (or on purpose) and call them “San Diego” and NOT LA.

[@Jackriff7855]

Mission Valley is the center point of San Diego city

[@penelopelgoss2520]

That's right and surround on each side with major accessibility.

[@shawnheidingsfelder8179]

That's sad. I was there in the 80s and early 90s, and saw many a Padres game at the Murph. The place was rocking on Beach Towel nights, doing the wave so much that half the people weren't even paying attention to the game. Jerry Coleman hanging a star for a great defensive play, watching Tony Gwynn do his thing. I thought the location was pretty good because it was right in the middle of the county, pretty much. I lived in the East Valley, and it didn't take forever to get to a game.

[@slidin122]

I grew up with havingTony Gwynn and Randy Jones in Poway and I was a die hard Pads and Chargers fans because they were so much part of Poway’s culture

[@marblox9300]

Enclosing the entire stadium ruined it just like Candlestick and The Oakland Colosseum.

[@mrchopsticks3]

I was so proud of San Diego when they told dean Spanos to pound sand. Many other cities would have sold their soul to keep the Chargers, I wish more cities were like San Diego.

[@williambrightman1375]

I don't live there,but from the outside it looks like the Spanos family never was serious about staying in San Diego. I admit I catch myself sometimes saying San Diego Chargers.

[@BurtoniousPrime]

Now that the Rams won the 2022 Super Bowl, and Stan Kroenke proclaimed We won it "In OUR HOUSE", San Diego NEEDS a stadium

[@racer72]

I was stationed in San Diego in 1978-1979. Went to a bunch of Padres games (got tickets for free) and went to a couple Charger games. Back then you could buy tickets on game day for $12.

[@davidfares359]

The padres did in fact fill the expanded stadium several times. Including 98 playoffs.

[@EFFEZE]

Why you lying DOH my guy

[@penelopelgoss2520]

Yes, I remember that!!!

[@thinking_about_beer]

Yeah I remember going to sold out games when Mcguire and Sosa were chasing the HR record

[@bobbg9041]

What pisses me off it ARROWHEAD has been around almost as long. Built for Lamar hunt a founding father of the AFC and never once hosted a superbowl. So unfair. Football is a fall and winter sport it should be played in every stadium.

[@bradsalluom6050]

Awesome and In Depth Video man! Keep up the great work!

[@MusicCityCANE]

Back when I was in the military, I attended my first NFL game there in the 2015 season opener between the Chargers and Lions! I helped bring out Old Glory before the game. I’ll never forget the ROAR of the crowd as we came out on the field. Afterwards, I got to see the game at field level, although it was scorching hot that day 🥵 I remember seeing Calvin Johnson aka Megatron warming up on the field and boy was he a site to behold. On the flip side I saw Danny Woodhead wgat a quick bolt of lightning with excellent hands. Also, Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates made history, although I can’t remember exactly what record they set. Anyway, the game was a good one and was decided very late with the Chargers hanging on to win. Anyway, I will always cherish the memories of that day. Bruh, I got to represent my country in uniform and see a couple future HOFs in Megatron, Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, and Eric Weddle. As well as fan favorites Danny Woodhead and Kennan Allen. Also, the tailgate outside was 🔥 Tasty food, friendly people and electric atmosphere 🇺🇸 ⚡️ 😎

[@geraldinebraun9266]

Sir, first off. A big hearted Thank you for serving our country. I had always watched games on the TV, and I think I do remember the game you mention. What an honor to stand on that field once.

[@adamburke6770]

You said it best. The atmosphere. The tailgate and the heat of that place is iconic

[@MusicCityCANE]

@@geraldinebraun9266 thank you, it was an honor to serve 🇺🇸

[@MusicCityCANE]

@@adamburke6770 I appreciate it brother

[@geeky12ful]

I hear you as I lived in San Diego with my Aunt & Uncle from 1980-1981. I went to my one & only NFL game in December ‘80 to watch the Chargers play. One of the best times of my life.

[@ClaudiusPGreen]

Gene Spanos was, and still is, the most hated sports figure in San Diego for abandoning the city and moving the Chargers (unnecessarily) to Los Angeles. Period, cut and dry.

[@okguy1282]

Chargers have almost NO fans in Los Angeles. People that do show up in Charger gear are a tiny fraction. And now that the RAMS won the SB....Chargers are an after thought even more. If Chargers are forced to sell or leave...unfortunately they wont be going to San Diego. St Louis would be open to a new team. But if that were to happen...St Louis better rebrand and make the Chargers change everything. Maybe the NFL can then offer San Diego an expansion Chargers for a future team.

[@kurtbilinski1723]

As a kid I remember a local TV show where they put a camera in someone's backyard, and recorded the entire stadium construction. I even remember the name of it, "Bulldozer Ballet." Seeing the stadium go up in 30 minutes was really cool to see. Boy do I feel old...

[@Summitclym]

Great memories at The Murph including my BYU Cougars beating Michigan in 1984 and other holiday bowls. But the best day was meeting and talking to Tony Gwynn during fan appreciation day on that field. What a great guy!

[@JenKnee423]

I love that you still refer to it as the Murph. It will always be the Murph to me too. So many amazing memories there, including many of Tony Gwynn. He was truly the best and is so missed. He was the epitome of what every professional athlete should be.

[@rogregg29445]

That victory over Smu!

[@slidin122]

My dad and I used to do work for Tony and he was always such a cool guy and I also used to work for Discount Tire in Poway and Tony and Randy and other Chargers would always come in and were such great guys

[@shawnamelva583]

Spanos family never wanted to stay in Mission Valley. Downtown or bust. They started looking to move 10 years before in the 2007 time frame. The team remains winless in Super Bowl and just embarrassed themselves in the divisional playoffs. Sad story how we lost them here in S.D.

[@anthonys3631]

Team and the city officials should have been able to have gotten a new stadium built figured out. For sure had they built a new stadium they'd have for sure gotten a Super Bowl given to them plus more to come in future years as they like to play the game in perfect weather. The revenue the city would've gotten hosting a Super Bowl should have been enough justification in keeping the team in San Diego. IMHO I don't think the city of San Diego tried hard enough in keeping the team there.

[@CalTxDude]

It was jack Murphy Stadium when I moved to San Diego, just in time for my very first Superbowl attendance! I attended numerous concerts there as well, amazing car shows on the weekend and a few Private events. Talk about memories..

[@ohshades2837]

I think with how the rams just won a super bowl and the already not so big fan base of the chargers in L.A we could see a move back to san diego for the chargers maybe when the team gets sold to a new owner.

[@vinylrichie007]

The Chargers are in dire need of a new owner.

[@boogitybear2283]

San Diego and St. Louis deserve an NFL Team.

[@1999bill1999]

St Louis didn’t keep their promises. They don’t deserve anything

[@strykrpinoy]

This video is inaccurate when saying that in 2005 they did not present a development partner, they wanted development rights instead and would privately finance themselves (since the Spanos fortune was built making apartments and condos) but the city rejected it due to lack of assurances of local ONLY LABOR being used (which would of never happened since their construction firms is based out of Stockton CA).

[@Daniel-iq7cj]

Its weird it hurts more that the Chargers are out of SD now than it did when it first happened, its been a slow burn. Seeing that San Diego logo and the pride I had being from San Diego and also being so passionate about the team, its just no the same no matter what I try to tell myself. They arent playing down the street like they used to, because of the Spanos families greed and pride.

[@atribecalledjudah5436]

World Class city. I love San Diego.

[@granddaddyHerps]

I just so happened to drive by the Murph during demolition and it absolutely broke my heart. I've grown up seeing not only the chargers and padres play there. But monster jam, Supercross, car shows, etc. My grandpa's boss had season tickets to the padres for years and he could hardly attend so he gave the 2 tickets to my grandpa and we always sat near 3rd base watching my favorite ken cam. All the tailgating memories. A part of me went down with that stadium. 😔

[@nicolewembley3093]

Very Good Video, lot of history in 33 minutes. For some reason I thought Jack Murphy was the owner at one time, but I learned he was a sports writer that was influential in getting the Chargers to San Diego, it was a very good honor to have the stadium named after him.

[@AngryAsianOG]

Shame the city deserves a football team…

[@YoungATUM]

Chiefs fan from KC here, seeing the Q being demolished was pretty sad due to the history built there and I still can’t seem to get over calling them the San Diego Chargers while talking football with friends. It sure seems like there are always more chiefs fans in LA when the two teams play each other.

[@larryspiller6633]

The general public does not benefit by building stadiums for teams. Let them build their own.

[@chriskay1449]

False. Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum has been a big benefit to the general public because it has generated a food and entertainment development around it that the people have flocked to. People need to stop spreading this BS because it shows ignorance.

[@paaat001]

To me, it was always the "Murph". Concerts there included a Simon and Garfunkel reunion but the wildest one was the Beach Boys, The stadium actually swayed with music. The liquids in drink cups sloshed out that night in the upper sections. The only other event that made the stadium move was Garvy's home run in 1984. We were in the loge third base side for that. There was so much yelling and cheering for that, I was hoarse for two days. RIP Jerry Coleman.

[@bennylevine387]

I wasn't there for the Garvey HR, but there was a Jim Leyritz HR in the 98 postseason that had the Murph (I never called it anything different either) rocking. Not sure it was to the same extent but it was memorable to me. I was at Dodger Stadium for the Gibson World Series HR in '88 and that was most shaking I ever experienced at a ballpark.

[@transitfan954]

I never lived in San Diego, but I spent over 20 years in the L. A. area, which was just a 2-hour drive away. Went to several games at then-Jack Murphy Stadium. I liked the layout of the stadium, and since the Padres never drew that well, could get fairly good seats even the day of. I only regret that I was no longer living in Southern California when they extended the San Diego Trolley to the stadium. Would have been cool to take a train to the game like I did when I lived in NYC. RIP San Diego/Jack Murphy/Qualcomm/SDCCU Stadium, you were a good facility.

[@anacrobat89]

Mission Valley is NOT outside of San Diego CA... it's very much part of it. Mission Valley is just one of the areas of San Diego which include, Downtown, Oldtown, Banker's Hill, Mission Hills, Mission Valley. Then of course there's the beaches which are also within the main San Diego area.

[@dnlbellfield]

Great video. The one time I visited the stadium in 2015, LT’s number was retired.

[@chrisguardiano6143]

In addition to the Chargers & Padres, Jack Murphy/Qualcomm Stadium was also home to the San Diego Sockers of the NASL from 1978-84. It also hosted the Soccer Bowl (the NASL championship game) in 1982.

[@brando7266]

The Sockers became the Yankees of indoor soccer, (13 championships)

[@linasbutcher1914]

I being a native San Diegan was thoroughly sad when they demolished the Jack Murphy Stadium. Like so many others I have so many great memories of that place. And who remembers the San Diego Soccers team? I sure do and I loved the games. Hell that was where my older brother took me to meet a lot of the Chargers and get autographs and pictures and for a shy teenaged girl… those are some of my best memories that I will never forget! But unfortunately their is always a down side to sports and that is the greed for more money…. a better stadium and everything that goes along with it! But who’s gonna’ foot that bill? The Taxpayers of course! That to me was the biggest mistake! Because why should we hard working citizens pay to have pay for a stadium for a team that loses a big percentage of it’s games? As well as pay the outrageous prices to see them play not to mention the costs of food, drinks and the sports gear? Just so they can give us a rude F-U and leave San Diego! I say good riddance to bad rubbish! Because as far as I’m concerned we San Diegans never had teams to be proud of and never will until we get teams who can pull their heads out of their asses and start playing the game like it’s meant to be played. And that is to play a game like your heart is in it and not your Frickin’ Wallet! Play the games because you truly want to play for the crowd (Fans) and not just for what the crowd (Fans) can do for you! The Charge-less (chargers) and the Pudres (padres) What a waste of good money! 😡

[@chrism.4912]

I have fond memories of Jack Murphy Stadium and attending games there in the 1980’s. My Dad had season tickets to the Chargers for years. I’m glad he passed away before the Chargers fled San Diego as he was spared the pain of watching his favorite team fleeing San Diego. 😞

[@MetalHellraiser094]

As a fellow SD Native I still remember going to my first Padres/Charger games when I was a kid. I still remember going to the Superbowl fan zone (I think thats what it was called back then) back in 98. Then when Sunday came around I was at my parents old place back in SDSU I still remember seeing that B2 Stealth Bomber Flying over our house for the National Anthem flyover. Fast Forward to 2015 I went to the Vans Warped Tour for the first time and when I arrived to the stadium man it gave me chills/brought back memories. Been going to the Vans Warped Tour for three years after that and my last one was back in 2019 right before covid and that was the final year of the Vans Warped Tour. After hearing the news of it being demolished my heart just dropped....... QUALCOMM/Jack Murph will still always have a very special place in my heart.

[@RHill79]

I worked for a concrete demolition company that worked on the stadium during the renovation. They called it “Rock The Murph”. We also worked on Petco Park when it was being built. That’s when San Diego was booming before 2008 hit.

[@tunnleking]

grew up in mission village, just up the hill from san diego stadium in the 70's. saw countless padre games there with my family. winfields rookie year, tito fuentes with his little bat bounce off the plate before each at bat' and the announcer intro tiiiiito fuuuen tezz. nate colbert. willy mcovey for a bit, not to mention all of the hall of famers and legends from opposing teams at that time. fighting for balls at batting practice, the kgb chicken, a real organist, running down those concrete spirals for sport. what a great place to see a game, seemed like you were right on top of the field. as we neighborhood kids got a little older, we discovered that they would open the gates in the 7th inning and you could go in for free, and that we could squeeze between the big concrete pillars and the scoreboard, before the stadium was fully enclosed by the new seats. we would walk down the hill unsupervised and mess around till the end of the game, get some autographs as the players left, walk home. pretty good times and great memories, thanks for posting the video.

[@matthewhoribe6585]

Petco Park is not a Baseball Stadium Only they have hosted Many concerts and Monster Truck events. They where supposed to Hold the Holiday Bowl in 2021 but it got canceled due to Covid 19.

[@briangeary7684]

It is crazy as every city probably has had this drama play out. I live here in Minnesota and we have been threatened, (Vikings / Twins) had a team move, North Stars, and will watch this unfold again with the T-Wolves (watch). It like holding a fan base hostage as millionaires battle for the most money at the tax payer expense. I love sports but it’s really about the money, not the fans…

[@brianscott9323]

Jack Murphy's Curse on the Spanos Clan is very real.

[@skidstainz1d]

I remember my dad taking me to padres games and chargers games. I remember sitting behind home plate and Steve Finely hit a walk-off grand slam, the stadium was electrifying!

[@jimmyhall4453]

San Diego Chargers had Dan Fouts when I was young. Man that game between the Dolphins & Chargers ( Kellen Winslow game) was the best game I ever saw. The Chargers need a stadium back in San Diego!!

[@dreamcage1801]

My pops squad in the 80s

[@gkiltz0]

Soooo, where WILL the Chargers end up in the long run? It's clear that the Rams are the team LA cares about, not the Chargers!

[@mawile2468]

The Chargers are slowly but surely gaining fans. Its subtle, but Stadium attendance isn't as lopsided with opposing fans as it was a few years ago. Cowboys, Steelers and Raiders fans are everywhere so they don't count.I didn't think the Chargers fan would give Mahomes such a hard time when they came to SoFi this year. The Rams have struggled in LA too. People just turn a blind eye to it for some reason. L.A is still Raider Town

[@edlawn5481]

I still think more people in LA root for the Raiders than the Rams.

[@Cobra-eu5pc]

St louis or back to SD with a new owner

[@lisarisley79]

💯

[@gkiltz0]

@@Cobra-eu5pc I lived in StL back in the 1960s, based on what I know, they were lucky to get the Rams. I don't see them getting a third chance

[@juddvance7721]

Don't know why KZbin recommended this, but that was an informative and enjoyable video. Good work.

[@h.h.h.4480]

If The Washington Football Team were to move to San Diego, with that team comes the owner, Daniel Snyder. Are you really sure you want Daniel Snyder in San Diego? Think this one through.

[@dwjoseph59]

Yikes

[@kyoakland]

Right

[@videomaniac108]

It's hard for me to believe that the stadium would be abandoned, having lived in San Diego from 1987 to 2004. When I lived there it was a dual use stadium called Jack Murphy stadium, hosting the Chargers in the winter and the Padres in the summer. I was a member of the local Porsche Club of America chapter and used to watch autocross races in the stadium's parking lot.

[@slidin122]

I used to do midnight drags there with the SDPD built car

[@gregschuman728]

When the threat of moving was prevalent in 2015, I watched the last home game on TV at my then-girlfriend's house. I had tears rolling down my face. When Spanos didn't get his way that offseason, I knew he was gonna tank the team the next season, just to make his point clear. Losing to the lowly Browns was the lowest of the low points of their last season in San Diego.

[@richglenn3729]

San Diego refused to let the Chargers hold the taxpayers hostage for the cost of a new stadium. They aren’t really missed all that much.

[@ashleighelizabeth5916]

I remember when I was growing up I knew all the NFL stadiums and a good many of the MLB stadiums. Candlestick was where the 49ers and Giants played, RFK was home of the Redskins, Texas Stadium where the place the Cowboys called home. Then this naming rights crap started and now I have no idea what most stadiums are even called or who plays in them.

[@christiangriffith3249]

As a San Diego native, I can't even watch this. I was a Chargers's fan too. Breaks my heart

[@jordanjohnson9866]

Qualcomm Stadium is in San Diego, California. Mission Valley is in San Diego, California. /

[@yachtboy6756]

The nerve and audacity of Spanos to ask the San Diego taxpayers to pay for a new stadium for his business. He left the city that would not bow to his wishes and took the Chargers with him. But, it's San Diego. There are plenty of other things to do.

[@anthonys3631]

Wasn't he going to put up part of his money to help get a new stadium built there? Most team owners do.

[@jasonmagee3458]

Mission Valley is IN SanDiego, not “just outside” San Diego. Get it right. DO better in the future.

[@hansenmatthewt]

This was DENSE with information. Well done. I've also never heard anyone pronounce "poinsettia" like that - powinsettya. Love it.

[@jaykilborn2508]

i grew up in San Diego and followed the Chargers way back when Hadl was throwing passes to Alworth. Since they moved to Los Angeles, I haven't watched them play a single down. Not interested.

[@geeky12ful]

I feel the same way about the Dallas Cowboys. After their owner (who I shall not name) got rid of Tom Landry I have never watched another game!! Kansas City Chiefs fan now due to living in Lubbock, Texas Tech & Patrick Mahomes.

[@joestephan1111]

Overlooked is perhaps the greatest moment in sports history. During a lengthy baseball strike, with no teams on the field, they filled the stadium, the local radio station with the contract replayed a key game, while fans ate hot dogs & drank beer from vendors and cheered as if it were the world series.😁

[@byff2323]

28:06 Chiefs actually won this game, not Chargers.

[@LaBreeceTV]

😑

[@byff2323]

@@LaBreeceTV on a separate note, I caught a Padres game in 96. Absolutely beautiful night and atmosphere. Ricky Henderson got benched for dogging a fly ball, and Caminiti went yard.

[@atribecalledjudah5436]

Cover the LA Sports Arena, a once great arena that is now a soccer stadium.

[@MackeyJr101]

@@LaBreeceTV wow lol

[@G0S]

I went to the game too when I was 10. I was heartbroken when they left but I stilled loved the team. I went to their first game at the stub hub stadium and the first public game at sofi

[@Sovereign_Citizen_LEO]

The only thing I took away from all of this, is the $645 Million Dollar "Relocation Fee" to the NFL. That is effing absurd/ ridiculous. How is the team ever supposed to become financially profitable with that much debt (and another almost $1 Billion in debt to build Sofi Stadium). The NFL Commissioners and the Chargers Owner are insane. How much tickets cost, and/ or will cost in the future?

[@sailor77pirate10]

I helped put the SB halftime show together there back in 2002! Sucks they demolished it. I loved this place!!

[@JP-wb1oo]

I grew up in nearby Poway and that place was like a second home to me. Because they were owned by the Kroc family, you could go to McDonald's and buy a sheet (11 tics + an ad) of nosebleed seat tickets for $2 for Padre games. When they enclosed the horseshoe with new seating we had 2 years of season tickets for the Chargers. I was in the Jr Chargers I got to meet Dan Fouts at Sea World. Oh, to be a kid in the 80's again... Hearing the demise of Jack Murphy Stadium really made me sad.

[@mawile2468]

They're building the new Aztec Stadium off Friars Road where Qualcomm use to be. I lived a 2 minute drive from Qualcomm but didn't actually see my first Chargers game until this year in L.A. Bittersweet, but SoFi Stadium lives up to the hype, and I got to see the Jaylen Guyton TD catch in person

[@l.u.rehuher3714]

Yup the Padres have the City all for their lonesome self

[@mawile2468]

@@l.u.rehuher3714 I feel bad for anyone who jumped on the Padres bandwagon last year. I don't bleed Padres colors, but I have followed them long enough to know that good things NEVER last. That collapse was epic. By the time September came along, the same people who ragged on me for not ditching the Chargers to join the Padres bandwagon fan started to not wear their Padres gear anymore lol.

[@southsidecompton9668]

@@mawile2468 San Diego has never won a champion in any sport lol

[@mawile2468]

@@southsidecompton9668 The Chargers won one way back when. The Chargers are talented but underachieve, whereas the Padres have been defined by mediocrity. I don't even think they've reached double digit playoff appearances

[@southsidecompton9668]

When did SD Chargers win a title?

[@joewarrior619]

Nicely done documentary 👍. Grew up living close to the stadium and I went to plenty of charger games there. I didn’t know the new stadium could extend its seating capacity. I’m hoping there’s a chance in the near future that the chargers can come back home.

[@dyingearth]

It'll always be Murph or Jack Murphy for those of us watching before the corporate naming.

[@deantaylor5677]

Lived in San Diego for better part of 23 years. Sad to see the "Murph" / "Q" gone. I worked for Qualcomm when they bought the naming rights. My boys and I have many fond memories of attending Padres games at the "Q". Thanks for doing such a well researched video. I learned much about the history of the Chargers.

[@gregb6829]

Thanks for this great video. At least we can remember that for five decades San Diego was a major sports town, even though now we are just a blip on the sports map.

[@86byrdman]

San Diego is still a major sports town. You still have the Padres and one of the most exciting players in baseball Fernando Tatis Jr, so there's that. You still have San Diego State.

[@valsphone9562]

@@86byrdman LOL