EL SEGUNDO — Tom Gores, owner of the NBA’s Detroit Pistons, has reached an agreement to purchase a 27% stake in the Chargers, a source confirmed. The transaction, if approved next month by NFL owners, would resolve a legal dispute between members of the Spanos family, who are majority owners of the team.
The Sports Business Journal was the first to report the proposed deal Friday.
Dea Spanos Berberian, sister of Chargers owner Dean Spanos, sued her siblings in 2021 in an attempt to force a sale of a family trust, which was established in 1998 by their parents, Alex and Faye Spanos. She sued Dean Spanos in 2022 accusing him of repeated “breaches of fiduciary duty” and “self-dealing.”
Spanos Berberian sought control of the family trust in the second suit and asked the San Joaquin County Superior Court to suspend and remove Dean Spanos as a co-trustee. She claimed in the suit that the trust would become insolvent within three years.
Neither of the lawsuits proceeded to trial.
Under the proposed transaction, Gores would buy Spanos Berberian’s 24% stake in the Chargers plus a 1% stake each from Dean Spanos and siblings Michael and Alexis Spanos to account for his 27%. The three Spanos siblings will control a 69% stake in the franchise. The remaining 4% is owned by non-family members.
Alex and Faye Spanos died in 2018. He founded the A.G. Spanos Companies, an apartment building company, in 1960 in Stockton. He bought 60% of the Chargers, then based in San Diego, from the previous owner, Eugene Klein, for $48.3 million in 1984. Dean Spanos has run the team since 1993.
Dean Spanos moved the Chargers to Los Angeles from San Diego before the start of the 2017 season, playing first at what was then known as StubHub Center before moving into their permanent home at SoFi Stadium in 2020. The Chargers opened The Bolt, their new training facility, earlier this year in El Segundo.
HERBERT UPDATE
The Chargers listed quarterback Justin Herbert as questionable to play Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs because of a sprained right ankle. Herbert’s participation in Friday’s practice was said to be limited. Pressed about Herbert’s status for Sunday, head coach Jim Harbaugh said, “We’ll see.”
Herbert suffered a high ankle sprain during a quarterback scramble in the third quarter of the Chargers’ victory Sept. 15 over the Carolina Panthers. He started the Chargers’ loss this past Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but exited after aggravating the injury in the final moments of the third quarter.
Taylor Heinicke played the rest of the game for the Chargers, but could not rally them and they suffered their first defeat in three games to start the season. Heinicke is likely to start against the Chiefs if Herbert cannot play, with Easton Stick serving as backup. All three quarterbacks were dressed Sunday.
“He said he felt better today than he did last Friday,” Harbaugh said of Herbert, who rallied late last week and persuaded his coach to give him the start against the Steelers. “He was able to do some things today, 7-on-7 and some team (drills), so he’s questionable. We’ll see.”
Harbaugh said he would monitor Herbert on Sunday against Kansas City, as he did Sunday against Pittsburgh. Harbaugh pulled Herbert from the field when the quarterback walked with a noticeable limp and could no longer move quickly enough to avoid the Steelers’ onrushing tacklers.
“Somebody has to be able to do the job,” Harbaugh said.
Herbert has suffered significant injuries in each of the last three seasons. He fractured his rib cartilage in a Week 2 game against Kansas City in the 2022 season, but did not miss a game. He fractured his index finger in a Week 14 game against the Denver Broncos, a season-ending injury.
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In addition, Herbert was sidelined for nearly three weeks during this past training camp because of a foot injury that required him to wear a walking boot for two weeks. His sprained ankle could sideline him Sunday, but give him additional time to rehabilitate his ankle since the Chargers have a bye week next week.
INJURIES (PART 2)
Edge rusher Joey Bosa (hip), linebacker Junior Colson (hamstring) and left tackle Rashawn Slater (pectoral muscle) were ruled out of Sunday’s game.
Right tackle Joe Alt (knee), wide receiver Derius Davis (hamstring), cornerback Kristian Fulton (knee), defensive back Deane Leonard (hamstring) and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) were each listed as questionable to play.