Just The Facts

Tonight the Union-Tribune reported that, according to the Bolts' Mark Fabiani, the Chargers are not leaving San Diego this off-season. This report comes a day after the Bolts signed a marketing deal with the Wasserman Media Group, a Los Angeles-based sports management and marketing company. When announced yesterday, the deal set off alarms among Charger fans that the team may be preparing to leave the Diago. Fabiani's comments today set aside those concerns for the time being.

But what do we know about the circumstances of the Chargers deal with Wasserman? Here are the facts as reported by Ronald W. Powell in yesterday's U-T:

- the team signed a deal with the Wasserman Media Group on Monday (January 26) to reach companies in Los Angeles and Orange County willing to purchase luxury suites and club seats, as well as sign sponsorship deals for Qualcomm Stadium advertising;

- beginning in February, the Chargers have a window until May 1 to leave San Diego by paying the city $56.2 million;

- the exit amount goes down to $54.6 million in 2010 and drops to $25.8 million in 2011;

- the Chargers' lease with San Diego expires in 2020;

- the Chargers are conducting a financial analysis on the cost of a stadium facility on the Chula Vista bayfront;

- the Chula Vista mayor is interested in continuing exploration of a stadium but has not spoken with team representatives since April;

- the Chargers did not sell out their luxury suites for some games last season;

- the Wasserman Media Group is headed by Casey Wasserman, grandson of Hollywood movie mogul Lew Wasserman;

- Wasserman represented 5 of the top 10 players in last year's NBA draft, including Derrick Rose;

- last week the City of Industry, a small town outside of Los Angeles, approved a $150 million bond measure to pay for infrastructure on a proposed $800 million stadium;

- two days later the City of Industry City Council approved an environmental report that clears the way for the stadium;

- the stadium plan belongs to billionaire Ed Roski, part owner of the Staples Center, the L.A. Kings and the L.A. Lakers;

- Dean Spanos is a long-time friend of Roski.

These are the facts.