This week the NFL announced that the Rams will be heading back for Los Angeles. Its home for more than 50 years prior to the move to St. Louis back in 1995. The league also gave the San Diego Chargers the chance to relocate to the L.A. area if their owners agree to share the soon to be ready City of Champions Stadium in Inglewood.
Personally, I like the Rams as a lone tenant. In my opinion, the Chargers belong to the San Diego community, its place for more than 40 years. It would also avoid sharing fans between teams the same way it happens to basketball, baseball and hockey in Los Angeles.
But for me, there is one major concern no one in the media is talking about is, in case the Chargers also move (something insiders are consider a very strong possibility), both teams will share something else:
The team colors!
Both Rams and Chargers carry the same color scheme: blue, gold and white. This was not an issue back in the Raiders/Rams era (despite the fact they share brands starting with the same letter).
This is not a problem anywhere else in America in cities with two professional teams in the same sport. Their colors and brands differ a lot. Some towns have teams sharing its core colors but in different sports. The best example is Pittsburgh. The three teams of Pennsylvania, the Steelers, the Pirates and the Penguins, share the same combination of yellow, black and white.
If the owners really care about the future of their franchises the way they are appearing to the last few years with the relocation process, they will have to think about its brand awareness from now on. Specially entering a new and eager market. The Rams and the Chargers will have to allure new fans to their teams and sharing the same colors would not give them the strength and distinction their brands need.
That will be a difficult situation for both teams. I don’t believe either team will be happy to change their own identities right now. They don’t need to! It’s not like what happen to the Clippers a couple years ago with the racist scandal. They want and they should keep their brand identities.
My last piece of advice right now? Bolts, stay home. San Diego will be thankful for.
