Last week, a Chargers ticket sales representative solicited Chiefs fans on blogs and forums to buy tickets to the November 1st Thursday night Chargers game against the Chiefs.

Many Chargers fans gave a scathing response, filling up comment sections with words like “pathetic” and “weak,” according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

“I totally understand that reaction,” said A.G. Spanos, the team’s executive vice president and chief executive officer. “It’s disappointing because we’ve been so aggressive this year with trying to sell to new Chargers fans. We hired 18 new people. We’re launching a season-ticket holder referral program, where season-ticket holders are going to be able to get rewards if they refer a new Chargers season-ticket holder customer.

“We’ve been very aggressive. We’re trying our best to pack the stadium with Chargers fans. This article, it hurt.”

“This was an overeager sales rep, I would say, who was selling groups,” Spanos said. “He acted on his own without checking with his manager. We have sold to visiting fan groups in the past. We don’t proactively solicit them for new business. That’s not a standard practice of the Chargers.

“I was disappointed the story made headlines. It paints the organization in a poor light, and that’s not how we operate. Our goal is to maximize our home-field advantage. But I’m grateful to clarify our policies with our sales reps. … That’s not a policy of ours, to go out and seek business from visiting teams’ sites.”