It’s no secret that Chargers fans haven’t been the most enthusiastic group. They struggled to fill the stadium in San Diego and the situation hasn’t improved since the team moved to Los Angeles. Home games often felt like away games with a majority of fans supporting the opposing team, a trend expected to continue when the Chargers move to a new stadium in 2020.
Melvin Gordon, who recently joined the Broncos, didn’t hold back in expressing his disappointment with the Chargers fan base while praising Broncos fans during a conference call with Denver media.
“Well, you definitely have a way bigger fan base,” Gordon remarked. “Since I’ve been a Charger, I always felt like it was an away game when we played the Broncos and pretty much any team. In Qualcomm, there was always a sea of orange. We just didn’t have that many fans. The talk of the move to Los Angeles likely contributed to losing some fans.”
Gordon acknowledged that fan attendance may not directly impact game outcomes but emphasized its importance for team morale. He shared, “You could make excuses saying the fans played a part in our wins and losses at home, but I don’t really think it did. It was more so for morale. We didn’t have our fans making noise during key moments like third downs to disrupt the opponents.”
Transitioning from playing alongside veteran quarterback Philip Rivers to a young QB like Drew Lock will be a significant adjustment for Gordon. Commenting on this change, he said, “I’ve only had Phil as a professional quarterback. I’ve always had him there on game day and in practice. He’s a seasoned vet, so I’m not sure how to adapt to a young quarterback like Drew Lock.”
