Dan “Boltman” Jauregui, finding a weakness in the Los Angeles Chargers defense, has demanded an apology from the team for suggesting he lied about what he wore into the StubHub Center for Sunday’s game with the Kansas City Chiefs.
On Tuesday, the team’s new vice president for public relations said the Ramona-based superfan “entered the gate without his mask.”
On Wednesday, Jauregui provided video showing him wearing his Boltman mask throughout his entrance into the Carson stadium formerly called the Home Depot Center.
“I think a public apology is due from the Chargers for lying and making false statements to ruin my reputation as Boltman,” Jauregui told Times of San Diego.
After being sent the video, Chargers spokesman Josh Rupprecht said “initial reports to our security appear to have been inaccurate.”
He apologized for “the confusion,” saying: “After seeing the video, there also seems to be a violation of policy upon entry.”
Rupprecht, who succeeded longtime spokesman Bill Johnston in March, added: “I think what’s getting lost here is that the Chargers actually want people to be able to wear masks/headgear should they choose to support the team in that manner, which is why we worked with StubHub Center to allow this to occur within the bowl at their seats.”
(StubHub rules are designed to give security the means to monitor drunk fans in the concourse and tell their age for alcohol purchases — as well as aid law enforcement in identifying potential criminal suspects.)
Jauregui — whose gripes against the StubHub mask policy also made “The Turko Files” Wednesday night on KUSI — now is wondering why the Chargers aren’t enforcing rules to keep fans safe.
“That is a huge failure of security presence in the most important time in our country,” he said. “Shame on them.”
Then he took the team and StubHub to task for letting him go — mask in place — after a 25-minute verbal showdown with StubHub security and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies.
“You’re trying to enforce the rules, but you let Boltman break the rules?” Jauregui said Tuesday. “Is Boltman above the rules of [stadium owner] AEG and the Chargers and NFL?”
He said the Chargers were stricter in San Diego.
“Qualcomm, they don’t mess around there,” he said. “They know the drill: ‘Off with the mask. Hey, Boltman, pull your jersey up. We want to see what’s going on underneath your jersey. … OK, you’re good to go.’”
Jauregui said the former Qualcomm Stadium might be a dump, “but their security is sure a hell of a lot better.”
