The San Diego Chargers will wear white jerseys with white pants and are asking fans to dress in white for Sunday’s sold-out home opener against the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks at Qualcomm Stadium.
The Chargers have dubbed the game “White Hot Sunday” and the white apparel worn by players and fans joins the new banners around the light ring at the top of Qualcomm Stadium and updated field wall designs as attempts to bolster the team’s home field advantage.
“We’re always looking to do anything we can that will give us an additional edge in the game,” Chargers CEO A.G. Spanos said. “The home opener is a chance for the fans to make an immediate impact on our season.
“Imagine a stadium all in white, unified behind the team dressed in all white. It will be loud. It will be impressive. It will be intimidating. And it will give our players a huge emotional boost and an even stronger home field advantage.”
This will be the third consecutive year they have worn white jerseys with white pants and asked fans to dress in white for the home opener. The Chargers defeated the Tennessee Titans in 2012, 38-10, but lost to the Houston Texans, 31-28, last season.
The NHL’s Winnipeg Jets in 1987 became the first professional team to ask fans to dress in white. The Chargers wear navy blue jerseys with white pants for most of their home games.
The game will also mark the debut of 37 banners around the light ring at the top of Qualcomm Stadium, marking elements of the team’s history.
The banners will be arranged chronologically and depict the various versions of the team’s logo, beginning with the shield adorned with lightning bolts, and helmet, along with great moments and great players.
There will also be banners devoted to the helmet honoring San Diego as an “All-America City,” which the Chargers only wore in 1963, when they won their lone American Football League championship; the “San Diego Super Chargers” song; and Charlie Charger, an illustrated mascot-like character from the 1960s.
The banners replace those of other NFL teams that were used for more than two decades.
“We asked ourselves what will get fans excited and resonate with them,” Spanos said. “We immediately thought of paying homage to the highlights of our past.
“The new look featuring predominantly all Chargers banners will reinforce to all those at the stadium, including visiting teams, that they are at the home of the Chargers. Along with the help of our great fans, this will surely strengthen our home field advantage.”
The Chargers will also unveil updated field wall designs which will mostly be more modern to reflect the team’s high energy play, a team official said.
The is the first time the reigning Super Bowl champion has played at Qualcomm Stadium since 2011 when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chargers, 45-38.
The Metropolitan Transit System will begin increased Trolley service from downtown beginning at 8:45 a.m. and between Santee and Qualcomm Stadium at 9:20 a.m.
Fans are encouraged to travel early. Passengers attempting to board trains after 11:30 a.m. should expect delays as trains reach capacity at stations closest to the stadium.
—City News Service