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January 2015. New San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer triumphantly declared in his first State of the City address that he would be assembling a group of civic leaders to “keep the Chargers in San Diego where they belong.” But the Chargers were no longer the only team eyeing a move to Los Angeles. The Rams and Raiders, former Angelenos themselves, were also mulling a move back. This episode chronicles the final two years of the San Diego Chargers. When the city was confronted with the errors of its past, the political and financial realities of its present, and the great unknown of its future, and the team was faced with its ultimate choice.

This episode’s sponsors include:

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Written and edited by Raphie Cantor

Produced by Ben Stein

Mixing and Original Music from Jordan Cantor

Audio in this episode from: KPBS, Spencer Mosher, Marty Caswell, and the City of San Diego

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1984, majority interest in the Chargers was bought by Alex Spanos, a construction magnate who rose from rags to riches. But how did the Spanos family first accumulate their fortune? How did their management style influence their conduct as owners? And what happens when a team of underdogs finds themselves playing in football’s biggest game?

This episode’s sponsors include:

MANSCAPED.com - Get 20% off and free shipping with the promo code BOLTED at checkout.

BetOnline.ag - Your Online Sportsbook Experts

EBay.com/sneakers - The World’s best destination for discovering great value and unique selection.

Written and edited by Raphie Cantor

Produced by Ben Stein

Mixing and Original Music from Jordan Cantor

Audio in this episode from: KNSD, KGTV, KFMB, Alecs Peralta, and the Prelinger Archives

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

2017. What was once unthinkable has become reality. The San Diego Chargers are now the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers’ move is the NFL’s grandest experiment yet. A test of civic pride, media market rights, and real estate deals. Money, power, and just a little bit of football. In our final episode, we'll look at where things stand. What happens when one city loses its team and another city gains it? How has that move redefined success for the NFL in the future? And how does San Diego move on as America's biggest football widow?

This episode’s sponsors include:

MANSCAPED.com - Get 20% off and free shipping with the promo code BOLTED at checkout.

BetOnline.ag - Your Online Sportsbook Experts

EBay.com/sneakers - The World’s best destination for discovering great value and unique selection.

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Written and edited by Raphie Cantor

Produced by Ben Stein

Mixing and Original Music from Jordan Cantor

Additional Music by Daniel Birch

Audio in this episode from: The Dan Patrick Show, ABC News, Fox Sports San Diego, NBC Sports, EA Sports, CBS Sports, and Faulconer for Governor 2022

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By the start of the 21st century, the Chargers franchise was in shambles. They were the worst team in football, playing in an aging and increasingly obsolete stadium. But change was coming. On the field, the organization underwent one of the most successful rebuilds ever accomplished in football, producing a dominant team that won five AFC West titles in six years. Off the field, the Chargers hired longtime political messaging wiz Mark Fabiani to get a stadium deal done. What could possibly go wrong?

This episode’s sponsors include:

MANSCAPED.com - Get 20% off and free shipping with the promo code BOLTED at checkout.

BetOnline.ag - Your Online Sportsbook Experts

EBay.com/sneakers - The World’s best destination for discovering great value and unique selection.

Written and edited by Raphie Cantor

Produced by Ben Stein

Mixing and Original Music from Jordan Cantor

Audio in this episode from: C-SPAN, ESPN, ABC, CBS Sports, and the City of San Diego

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the nineties came to a close, two parallel crises were slowly building in San Diego. The first was at City Hall, where the city’s pension system was pushing the city to the brink of financial ruin. The second was with the Chargers, whose elite prospect QB Ryan Leaf was about to take the field. We talk to Leaf, and the policymakers who were there.

This episode’s sponsors include:

MANSCAPED.com - Get 20% off and free shipping with the code BOLTED.

BetOnline.ag - Your Online Sportsbook Experts

EBay.com/sneakers - The World’s best destination for discovering great value and unique selection.

Written and edited by Raphie Cantor

Produced by Ben Stein

Mixing and Original Music from Jordan Cantor

Additional Music by Jordan Krimston and Daniel Birch

Audio in this episode from: KPBS, ESPN, KUSI, KFMB-TV, and the City of San Diego

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.