The decision by the Raiders to take 11,000 seats out of commission led one San Diego writer to wonder if the Chargers would consider the same thing to reduce their seating capacity and cut down on blackouts.
Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune raised the question with the team because they have dealt with the same problems as the Raiders and also play their home games at an outmoded multipurpose stadium. Krasovic got a quick response from the team and the answer is that Qualcomm Stadium will remain tarp-free.
“We just lowered the price of 10,000 season seats in an effort to help fill the stadium and enhance our homefield advantage,” Chargers spokesman Bill Johnston wrote in an email. “Combine the lower price with one of the most attractive and competitive home schedules in memory and we’re optimistic about our chances.”
Four of the Chargers’ eight home games were blacked out on local television in 2012 because the team wasn’t able to sell enough non-premium seats to meet the league’s requirements. The Chargers will host the Giants, Cowboys, Colts, Texans and Bengals in addition to their AFC West rivals in 2013.