SAN DIEGO SEEKS CHANGES IN CHARGERS' QUALCOMM LEASE
October 18, 2000
Copyright 2000 MediaVentures
San Diego wants the Chargers to renegotiate their lease at Qualcomm Stadium to take the city off the hook for guaranteeing ticket sales. The city promised to guarantee
at least 60,000 in ticket sales for each home game. Low sales this year have pushed the city to spend nearly all the $5 million it set aside for the purchases. The stadium
seats 71,000.
The city is also concerned that because of the guarantee, the team has not worked as hard to sell tickets as it otherwise might. The city has asked the team for
information about its marketing program, but the team has missed a deadline to respond.
The sell outs also remove the television black out from the market and city officials wonder if that is hurting ticket sales.
Another request will be made for marketing information and new lease negotiations, but if the Chargers don't respond, the city is considering several steps to resolve
the issue. One tactic might be to stop buying the tickets and force the team into court where its marketing practices can be examined. The city could also sell the tickets at a
discount and recoup some of its investment. Another move might be to delay ticket purchases so the games are not blacked out in hopes of encouraging ticket sales.
