Chargers fan Jonathan Rodriguez, left, celebrates the team’s touchdown during an exhibition game against the Seahawks at StubHub Center in Carson on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Fans get set to watch the Chargers face the Seahawks in their exhibition opener at Stub Hub Center Sunday in Carson, CA. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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The Chargers run onto the field at StubHub Center before the start of their game against New Orleans in Carson on Sunday, August 20, 2017. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn watches his team warm up for the exhibition opener at Stub Hub Center Sunday in Carson, CA. August 13, 2017. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chargers quarterback Kellen Clemens passes against Seattle Seahawks in the first half of the exhibition opener at Stub Hub Center Sunday in Carson, CA. August 13, 2017. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)



Fans are silhouetted against the scoreboard with the 25-second clock in the foreground in the second half of the exhibition opener at Stub Hub Center Sunday in Carson, CA. August 13, 2017. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chargers fans showed up early to watch warmups before the first half of the exhibition opener at Stub Hub Center Sunday in Carson, CA. August 13, 2017. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Chargers fans cheers as a former Charger LaDainian Tomlinson enters to the field before an exhibition game against the Seahawks at StubHub Center in Carson on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The Chargers plays the Seahawks during an exhibition game at StubHub Center in Carson on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (Photo by Kyusung Gong, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A Chargers fans in the stands during an exhibition game against the Seattle Seahawks at StubHub Center in Carson. Sunday, August 13, 2017. (Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily News/SCNG)



The Chargers will take their Fight for L.A. to the field on Saturday, their opponent the very roommates they’ll eventually share a stadium with.

But then, this whole Fight for L.A. thing was never a direct challenge by the Chargers to the Rams, who they’ll play Saturday night at the Coliseum in each team’s third preseason game.

It’s a heck of a thing, how all that got misconstrued. As if the Chargers actually thought they could waltz into Los Angeles and start singling out foes to conquer. Who’s next after the Rams?

The Lakers? Dodgers?

Nonsense.

On the contrary, the Chargers abundantly understood their decision to move to Los Angeles wasn’t on par with the Rams returning home from St. Louis.

And they clearly understood they faced considerable challenges building a Los-Angeles-and-vicinity fan base almost entirely from the ground up.

It’s why they aren’t freaking out over the 21,000 or so fans that showed up in each of their first two preseason games at the 27,000-seat StubHub Center. In fact, Chargers owner Dean Spanos got a pretty good laugh when I asked him about any buyer’s remorse based on the turnout the first two weeks.

Based on my conversations with Spanos, he remains ecstatic with the decision to relocate to Los Angeles and is fully engaged in figuring out how the Chargers can create a strong niche for themselves in the crowded Los Angeles sports market.

And he’s pleased thus far with where the Chargers are, ticket-wise.

The Chargers have sold out all their season tickets for 2017, at the highest ticket price in the league. But as is the case across the NFL, getting season ticket holders to show up to preseason games can be a challenge. Percentage-wise, the Chargers no-shows the last two weeks and the unused tickets from the 2,000 or so allotment all teams hold for each game are on par with the rest of the league.

Same was true, percentage-wise, in San Diego, where the Chargers would draw 45,000 fans to preseason games in their 68,000-seat stadium. By the time the regular-season rolled around, they were drawing 68,000 fans.

It’s pretty much the norm around the NFL.

Stands to reason, then, they aren’t freaking out that all their StubHub Center season-ticket holders didn’t show up to exhibition games.

.@ScottKaplan says it’s already apparently that the #Chargers should give up on Los Angeles and return to San Diego https://t.co/eIMycu109W — The Mighty 1090 (@Mighty1090) August 23, 2017

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They are much more focused on building the season-ticket base now in place – and the large waiting list behind it – than they are the fans who didn’t show up against the Seahawks and Saints.

Hence, the pledge to Fight for L.A.

As in claiming their share of attention and patronage from the second-biggest market in the country.

It’s a fight that will unfold over years, not months. And the weapons of choice are winning football games, putting an exciting product on the field and, well, time.

Think about it. For the last 56 years the Chargers called San Diego home. And while a part of their fan base over the years resided in Orange and Los Angeles counties, most people in Los Angeles will tell you we don’t pay much attention to what’s going on in San Diego.

It’s not a dislike as much as it is an indifference. About the only time you’ll see L.A. even care about San Diego sports is when Dodgers fans take over Petco Park when they play the Padres.

And even then, with the Padres historically being more like the Dodgers’ harmless little buddies rather than consistent, legitimate threats, it feels more like a great weekend getaway than some intense plunge into enemy territory.

Sure, there was a stretch when the Raiders resided in Los Angeles and there was a rivalry with the Chargers. But when the Raiders moved back to Oakland, that rivalry diminished.

The reality is, most of L.A. had enough on its plate with the Lakers and Dodgers and Kings and USC and UCLA and even the Angels to have any need or desire to peek 120 miles to the south to whet our sports appetites.

You know who knew all this?

The Chargers.

Which is why, immediately after they decided to relocate to Los Angeles, they came up with plan for how they’d step foot into a market that, frankly, hadn’t been paying too much attention to them over the years.

Fight for L.A.

Their slice. Their piece of the pie.

Your attention. Your patronage.

They aren’t the Rams. And they may never be.

They aren’t the Lakers or Dodgers.

And they understand that.

But then, the Rams aren’t the Dodgers or Lakers either. Not yet, anyway. And maybe never.

Difference is, the Rams arrived home in L.A. with a free key pass to a high-floor condo in their new downtown digs. Not a penthouse suite, mind you. They still have to earn their spot on the top floor. They’re in a fight, too.

But certainly a luxurious, high-floor space with a sweet view.

The Chargers, on the other hand, are essentially starting from the ground floor. And it’s going to take everything they’ve got to keep moving up a floor or two over the years.

Considering they are one year into a minimum 33-year stay in Los Angeles, time is clearly on their side.

It’s on them to take make the most of it, of course. And the next three years will be important, as they represent the 36-month runway to the new 70,000-seat stadium they’ll share with the Rams in Inglewood.

But that’s plenty of time, given the nature of their objective.

Will they eventually win over their share of the L.A. market? History is pretty clear Los Angeles supports its teams as well as any in the country. For some, that support comes sooner than others. But eventually everyone finds their way.

No reason to think the Chargers won’t be just like all the others.

It just takes time.

And seven months into it, no one with the team is freaking out.

No matter what anyone is saying to the contrary.