When the Chargers announced their plans to move back to Los Angeles on Thursday after spending the past 56 years in San Diego, the reaction on social media ranged from sadness for fans losing their team to amusement over a new logo that eerily resembles one from a more established Los Angeles sports franchise.
The script, interlocking “LA” with a lightning bolt coming out of the “L’’ on a blue background looked an awful lot like the interlocking “LA” that has become so famous as the Dodgers logo , with a little bit of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning mixed in as well.
While it’s uncertain if the logo is permanent or a placeholder, it did draw scorn from the likes of former Chargers center Nick Hardwick , and mockery from the NHL’s Dallas Stars .
Take a look at some of the other reactions to the news:
“Relocation is painful for teams and communities. It is especially painful for fans, and the fans in San Diego have given the Chargers strong and loyal support for more than 50 years, which makes it even more disappointing that we could not solve the stadium issue. As difficult as the news is for Charger fans, I know Dean Spanos and his family did everything they could to try to find a viable solution in San Diego.” - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
“People, obviously they’re shocked. They’re disappointed; in disbelief is another word that I probably would use. And rightfully so. I think most San Diego fans, they felt like this would never happen; it couldn’t happen. Fifty-five, 56 years in San Diego, they never probably could imagine that the Chargers would ever leave. That’s all that they have known. It’s generations of football that people have grown up buying season tickets in San Diego. So to say disbelief, it might not even be a strong enough word to say what they’re feeling right now.” - LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers running back 2001-09
“I just didn’t think that San Diego would ever lose the Chargers. You know how teams posture and cities posture, but you figure everything will be worked out.” - Pro Football Hall of Famer and San Diego native Marcus Allen
“S/O to the loyal fans willing to make this move with us. Thank you for the best year of my life.” - Chargers rookie defensive lineman Joey Bosa on Twitter .
“In sports, teams win and individuals lose. The Chargers were ultimately never willing to work with us as a team so we could achieve shared success. Dean Spanos made a bad decision, and he will regret it. San Diego didn’t lose the Chargers. The Chargers just lost San Diego.” - San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer
“It will be interesting. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens. I think it’s an extraordinary challenge for the people of the area to figure out their allegiance and what they’re doing. There’s going to be a strong pull I’m sure form the southern part down by San Diego and all through that. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens. I don’t know. It’s an enormous experiment.” - Seattle Seahawks and former USC coach Pete Carroll
“If anybody thinking about burning my jersey I’m not Lebron I’ll come find you. lol” - former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman on Twitter
“Heartbroken for San Diego and the #Chargers fans. San Diego will always be Americas finest city.” - former Chargers running back Jacob Hester on Twitter
“The Chargers will make our NFL tradition even richer, and give sports fans everywhere one more reason to be in Los Angeles. I congratulate Dean Spanos and the entire Chargers organization, and look forward to the extraordinary contributions they will make to our entire region.” - Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
“We have a lot of great memories but, when it comes to the public treasury, there are limits to what you’re willing to do to keep something like this here. - San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts
“I think the Spanos family has done everything they possibly could to get a stadium built there, worked with the community. It just didn’t work out. It’s got to be a tough day for them. They’ve been great to that community. And it’s got to be a tough day for the fans of the Chargers and the citizens of San Diego.” - Broncos President Joe Ellis.
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