The San Diego Chargers surprised most of the football world on Tuesday with their decision to retain head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith for 2012. Both were assumed by many to be fired at the conclusion of the season, in which the AFC West favorites missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. But team president Dean Spanos on Tuesday acknowledged the team has bigger issues at the moment.
Spanos was interviewed by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on Tuesday, and noted the team's attendance woes:
"I’m sure it’s going to be a challenge this year," Spanos said as to the task of selling tickets. The team had multiple blackouts in 2011, and the Chargers routinely had to scramble to sell non-premium tickets to several other games.
But Spanos seems to think that a changing of the team’s coach and/or G.M. wouldn’t have made the turnstiles spin any more quickly. "There’s a certain percentage of fans that until we go out and win, I don’t think it’s going to make any difference," Spanos said.
The Chargers have long been rumored as a potential candidate to move to Los Angeles, especially if they can't work out a stadium deal in San Diego. There are far too many steps and hurdles in the way of the Chargers' move to L.A. at the moment, but if the team under Smith and Turner doesn't win, they will continue to have trouble selling seats.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, we wait as a possible destination down the road.