Bolts, Fans Offer First Impressions of StubHub Center
Approximately 8,000 invited Season Ticket Members came to StubHub Center on Saturday to catch the very first action of the Chargers in their new home.
They weren’t disappointed.
“This is why I had to get tickets,” Giovanni Rodriguez said. “This is (freaking) awesome! We’re so close. We are right there in the game. It’s amazing and incredible to be this on top of the action. They are right here. This is such an in-the-game experience!”
The fans weren’t the only ones impressed.
Saturday marked the first time the players lined up between the white lines, getting a feel for what it would be like on gameday. While a handful of Chargers had visited StubHub in recent months, this was their first time seeing it football ready.
“I think it’ll be cool (especially) when you get a packed house in here,” Joey Bosa said. “It’s a nice, newer stadium. We were focused on practice, and we kind of (tuned out) the crowd noise, but I’m sure it will get nice and loud on game days. (It’ll be) a fun atmosphere.”
"The atmosphere is amazing," Melvin Ingram added. "It feels like everybody's close. It's just a warm feeling, and I like that feeling. It's back to the basics. I love this atmosphere."
The first taste of StubHub left Philip Rivers craving more.
“What I think this place can turn into can be a real awesome atmosphere for this season,” he said. “I think it’s going to be awesome. There’s no bad seat in the house. Everybody’s going to have a great seat and be up real close to the action. Now its our job to put a competitive team on the field that wins, and makes this fan base proud.”
For Tyrell Williams, his new home reminded him of his college days.
“I feel like it’s going to be loud. The fans are right on top of us, so I think it’s going to be a good atmosphere. It’s definitely different. It reminds me of when I played against Montana at college. The fans (here) are right on top of you. It feels like that. A real close atmosphere.”
Meanwhile, Joe Barksdale stopped dead in his tracks as he left the field. His eyes bulged open as he pointed toward the new video screen.
“That’s really cool,” he said. “That’s really sweet. This whole place looks really nice. It’s going to be a great place to play. We win some games and fill this stadium up, it’s going to be quite some home.”
It’s safe to say those in the stands felt the same way.
“This is a beautiful atmosphere,” said Arthur Lozano, a first-year Season Ticket Member who came with his three children to catch the Bolts practice against the Rams. “This is everything we hoped for. To be this close is very exciting for my son. His eyes are wide open to see how big and fast they are. This is a beautiful experience.”
“To be this close to the action during a game is going to be awesome,” 28-year old Bruce Daneault added. “I’ve been a Chargers fan for years, and this is awesome. We went to games in Qualcomm for years, but even the front row there isn’t as close to some of the back rows (down low).”
