Dean Spanos takes huge step toward doing what every Chargers fan dreams of

LA Chargers owner Dean Spanos is not very popular among the fan base. Spanos was already on thin ice and it was amplified when he decided to move the team to Los Angeles. Ever since the move from San Diego, a large portion of the fan base has called for the Spanos family to sell the team.

Spanos has recouped some equity with the fanbase in recent years by shelling out cash to hire Jim Harbaugh and building a state-of-the-art training facility to help current players and lure in new talent.

Spanos is looking to cash in on that fanbase equity with some actual equity in the team. The Chargers have requested permission to sell an 8% stake in the club to investment firm Arctos, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic. The Spanos family would retain control of the Chargers with a 61% stake.

Dean Spanos gets one step closer to selling the Chargers

Does this guarantee the Spanos family will sell the Chargers anytime soon? Not at all. If anything, this should be viewed as a pure business decision with the Spanos family looking to receive some capital for a share of the team.

Forbes evaluates the Chargers at $5.1 billion and after seeing the Boston Celtics sell for over $6 billion, the actual value may be higher. Even at $5.1 billion, selling 8% ownership would net the Spanos family $408 million.

While this does not guarantee the Spanos family will sell the team, this is the second time now in a short window that some ownership stake in the team has changed hands. Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores bought 27% of the team in October after Dea Spanos Berberian sold her 24% share.

For years the Spanos family had such a tight grip on the Chargers. Cracks are starting to form in that surface, and as Dean Spanos gets older, the odds of the Spanos family moving off the Bolts continues to grow.

While the team has made great investments recently, an ownership change would be viewed extremely favorably by the fanbase. Having a great owner can make a huge difference in the success of the club. Just look at the quick turnaround the Washington Commanders have had since Dan Snyder sold the team.

Don't expect there to be an ownership change any time soon. If anything, Spanos will last at least as long as head coach Jim Harbaugh does. But for the first time perhaps ever, the Spanos family selling the team actually seems to be in the realm of possibility.