The news is on nfl.com. Because of the wildfires in the San Diego area, the game's been moved to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ. Good to see they have public safety in mind. I'm curious how ticketing will work. Just open the doors for free, charge general admission, give tickets to Cardinals fans... and what about the San Diego ticket holders who won't be able to, obviously, go to the game now. Refund or what? Sykotyk
i'm more curious to see what the attendance will be like As a Charger fan, I am really bummed that Seau's homecoming will be spoiled. I wish they would cancel the game instead, but they can't do that.
After seeing the smoke in the Qualcomm area on ESPN, good move if you ask me. It does suck that they had to do this but it is necessary.
I haven't seen any reasons outlined as to why the game had to have been moved to a current NFL stadium, and not another appropriate stadium in Southern California. The article about the movement of the game on NFL.com indicated that after the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989 a scheduled 49ers-Pats game was moved from Candlestick to Stanford Stadium, which hosted a Super Bowl but never an NFL team. It might have been possible for a good number of Charger fans to drive up to the L.A. area. The Coliseum was of course the former home of the Raiders and the Rose Bowl has hosted a couple Super Bowls.
I think the reason the game isn't in LA is because the league doesn't want any possible ammo against expansion/relocation to LA if tomorrow's game would've flopped in LA. Especially since the Chargers are the rumored team to move. The other excuses I've heard is that because there was a game in Tempe yesterday, all of the TV infrastructure is already there... I don't think many Bolts fans will be able to make this game since parts of I-8 are going to be closed, and I think I-10 is closed too so there will be gridlock on the 8. And I don't think there will be any flights to Phoenix from the airports either. I heard that tickets for this game are going to be free. Can you imagine going to a free NFL mnf game?? That should probably fill the seats.
Tickets are free, but you can only get them at Sun Devil Stadium. Anyone with Chargers tickets will get refund information. They will be collecting donations at the gates for those affected by the fires. Now the logistical nightmare... Sun Devil stadium is on the campus of Arizona State University. Monday is a regular class day, with no advance notice of this to alter student parking. So, they're telling people not to show up before 4pm, local time, with a 7pm local kickoff. If this game has any sort of decent attendence (which I think it will. It's a Monday night game, it's been in the news, and the tickets are free. It might not be a pro-Chargers crowd, as it would have been in San Diego, but it should still outdraw the Cardinals), it could be a busy night for the police.
If you haven't heard by now, Qualcomm is being used as an emergency shelter. I also imagine half of the campus of ASU will be at the game.
I too am wondering why 300 miles away to Phoenix makes more sense than 120 to LA, but whatever. Not the first dumb NFL move, but their hearts were in the right place moving it out of the inferno in SD. Nice move making the tickets free. Can't imagine how many drunk ASU kids will be out. Should be a blast.
read my 2nd post on this thread + fires are also burning in LA ... I hope there are a lot of San Diegan ASU students out there.
A lot of people are showing up. I feel bad for the fans who bought tickets on eBay and won't get all of their money back. This is a big game for both Dolphins and Chargers fans, and there might not be many fans from either team at this game.
At least that, since the tickets to the game are free. Hmmmmm... free tickets, college students at a party school like ASU, camping out for those tickets while fueled by alcohol... Somehow, this potentially could be one of the worst decisions since Nickel Beer Night in Chicago.
They had a spot about this on the local news here in Tucson. The lines were long and almost everyone they showed was wearing a jersey of one of the two teams (a great majority were Dolphins fans). Most of the people didn't seem to be college students. But, it being free and all, I'm sure there will be plenty there.
I read your post, I just didn't believe that was the only definitive reason. Was there a story or something that led you to think that, or is that just your opinion? It is certainly possible, but it seemed then and still seems now like your opinion. Which may be right, I just don't have any proof of that, which is why I was wondering aloud. I had heard there were some fires in LA, but the Coliseum is downtown and I didn't think the LA fires were that bad, from what CNN was telling me (though, they could be wrong).
Don't they do preseason training in LA? I have heard that the Chargers could move to LA, but the league wants to keep them in San Diego and expand into the LA market.
Yeah don't they train at the Home Depot Center? When I was there for the WWC, they had up Charger banners all over the place. ----- Jeez...what kind of strength workouts is David Boston is on??? I'd LOVE to have his arms!
Damn straight. And one of the greatest moments in American history, I might add, too. Great crowd tonight, and kudos to the people of Tempe, Sun Devil Stadium and ASU for pulling all this off in what was effectively a 24-hour period. Very impressive...
There are no fires in LA proper, but Los Angeles is surrounded by it to the south (San Diego), east (Rancho, etc.) and north (Ventura County). The threat is not the fire itself, but the smoke that is clouding up the already-crappy LA air. I went out for a jog last night, and it was difficult to breathe. I can't imagine playing football or anything else in this, which makes me worry a bit about Saturday's Galaxy-Quakes game (hopefully everything will be under control by then). RS
Thank you, that's what I didn't know about and was trying to understand. Having asthma as a kid and living in LA for 2 years, the air does suck, and that was 20 years ago. Now, plus fire, I can imagine the problems.