When the Los Angeles Chargers kick off their 2017 pre-season schedule Sunday, Aug. 13 against the Seattle Seahawks, history will be made. The Bolts will play their first home game at the StubHub Center in Carson. No, that was not a misprint. After playing in San Diego since 1961, the Chargers are returning to their original roots, having begun as an AFL franchise in Los Angeles in 1960. Needless to say, there has been quite a bit of talk (pro and con) about the team relocating to Los Angeles for this season and the foreseeable future. As the team waits to move into a new stadium under construction in Inglewood (they will be a tenant in the stadium owned by the Los Angeles Rams), San Diego will be without professional football for the first time in some 55 years. So, are you going to miss going to the ‘Q’ on Sundays to cheer on the Bolts? Will area sports bars be impacted? With the Chargers never to play in San Diego again anytime soon, what impact (if any) will there be on sports bars in Pacific Beach and surrounding areas? While the answer to that question may be difficult to predict right now, I’m willing to wager that the impact will be small to possibly none at all. Football fans go to sports bars to hang out with friends and watch the games. Given that has been going on in San Diego for decades, it is hard to imagine that will all of a sudden dry up with the Chargers gone. Some of the most popular PB hangouts during football season include Miller’s Field, SD TapRoom, Iron Pig Alehouse, Pacific Beach AleHouse, Backyard Kitchen & Tap, and Tavern at the Beach among others. Needless to say, there are countless fans of New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Dallas, Oakland, Kansas City, Denver and more that make up San Diego’s residency. As a result, area sports bars are typically crowded on Sundays whether the Chargers are playing or not. Was there ever really a home field advantage? For all the years the Chargers called San Diego home, you never entirely felt as if the Bolts had a home field advantage when you attended a game. With countless transplants living in America’s largest military town, it was not uncommon to see close to or even half the stadium cheering for the opponents. Think back to if you attended a Chiefs, Raiders or Broncos game in San Diego. In all likelihood, the attendance was split down the middle. Although some Chargers’ die-hards will undoubtedly miss seeing their team live this season and beyond, Carson is not all that long of a drive. Then again, any drive to the greater Los Angeles area can be a nightmare depending on traffic. While not having the Chargers in town will be an adjustment (at least for this season), I honestly think local football fans will be just fine. Despite all the attention being paid (and rightfully so) to head injuries and more, the NFL remains as popular as ever. With the Chargers having packed their bags and moved north, there is no reason to believe the NFL won’t continue to be a hit with local fans. For PB and other sports bar owners, they will keep scoring touchdowns in terms of fans and revenue on Sunday afternoons. As a Charger fan, will you miss not having the team in San Diego?