The 50-year-old had been a Chargers fan for more than three decades — the obsession taking root when, as a teenager, he watched them pull off the thriller later dubbed the “Epic in Miami.”

This is the challenge for the Chargers, who are working to carve out a significant footprint in a crowded Los Angeles sports landscape.

It’s one thing to convince people such as Garcia, who hadn’t attended an NFL game since the Raiders moved away, to come out to the stadium out of casual curiosity.

It’s another task entirely to build a dedicated local fan base — one that would count Gonzalez among its members, if he didn’t live 820 miles away.

For months, they have marketed this place as a unique venue, one that will provide an intimate viewing experience unlike any other in professional football.