From the terrace at The Bolt — the Los Angeles Chargers’ headquarters and training facility in El Segundo — the view stretches across the Los Angeles Basin, with the Hollywood Sign in the distance and the practice fields just beyond the windows. Inside, mid-century modern design, vintage Chargers photographs and the team’s signature powder blue and gold connect the space to the franchise’s history.

[Editor's note: This is a sponsored post.]

The 1960 Club, named for the year the Chargers were founded, offers members an opportunity to experience the organization beyond the football field. With a culinary program developed alongside Wolfgang Puck Catering, private dining spaces and a growing calendar of social events, the club is designed to serve as both a destination for fans and a gathering place for the South Bay's business and social communities.

For Fred Maas, the Chargers' chief of staff, the vision extends beyond creating an exclusive space for members. It is about establishing a lasting connection between the organization and the region it calls home.

"Community is important to the organization, important to the club, important to me, and important to our owner," Maas said. "We tried to build a club that was representative of the greater South Bay."

The club's location reflects the Chargers' broader investment in the region. After years of searching for a permanent home for the team's football operations, the organization opened its El Segundo training facility in 2024, replacing its interim facility in Costa Mesa. Maas began searching for a site in 2017, evaluating approximately 35 locations across Southern California, from the area near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to San Clemente. 

The South Bay remained a priority throughout the search, Maas said, as the team recognized growing interest among its local fan base, season-ticket members and business partners. When the El Segundo property became available, the opportunity aligned with the organization's long-standing interest in establishing a home in the area.

"We really had our heart and soul here in the South Bay," Maas said. "A lot of the DNA of the team matched the DNA of the region."

That relationship also informs the club's identity. The Chargers are the only major Los Angeles football team to have originated in the region, Maas said, and the franchise's history is reflected in the club's name, design and atmosphere. 

The team's powder blue and gold colors were inspired by a Los Angeles sunset, while the mid-century modern aesthetic recalls the era in which the franchise began. Chargers owner Dean Spanos chose the name 1960 Club, grounding the space in the organization's history while creating an environment intended to welcome people with different connections to the team.

The club's design and programming reflect that balance between football and everyday life. Members can attend events, watch games, host business lunches or use the space as a place to work throughout the day. Maas envisions members arriving in the morning to work using the club's Wi-Fi, staying for lunch and returning for dinner or evening programming.

But the club is intended to offer more than meals and an impressive view. Maas said local professionals have joined because they want a place to meet clients, socialize and connect with others, even if they are not season-ticket holders or Chargers sponsors.

"We've got a lot of folks who have come here — businesses and others — that want to be part of this, that aren't necessarily Chargers fans or part of our business base," Maas said. "We welcome them."

Members are also invited to Chargers events, including the team's draft party and training camp, with additional team-oriented programming planned throughout the year.

For Maas, these efforts to build community reflect the role sports can play in bringing people together, particularly at a time when many people feel overwhelmed by the news and the demands of everyday life.

"There's a lot of noise out there in the world," Maas said. "The one thing I think is true to sports, whether it's football or anything else, but clearly the NFL, is that it's a rallying cry for folks."

He said the camaraderie surrounding a team can offer people a shared experience, whether they are watching games, following a fantasy league or gathering with friends. At the club, that connection can continue beyond the season's weekly matchups, creating opportunities for members to develop both personal and professional relationships.

The organization hopes the 1960 Club will become a place where those connections happen naturally, whether through a scheduled event or an ordinary afternoon spent working, meeting a client or watching practice from the club's terrace. 

Prospective members can visit the 1960 Club's website to submit an application and arrange a tour. While referrals from existing members can be helpful, Maas said they are not required.

As the club expands its dining service and programming, its longer-term success will depend on how well it becomes part of the community surrounding it. For the Chargers, the goal is to create a space that reflects the franchise's history while welcoming a broader cross-section of the South Bay.

"We wanted to create a place for our fans, our players, our coaches, and the greater community to partake and feel as though they're part of the community," Maas said.

To learn more or apply for membership, visit the 1960 Club website. This article is sponsored by the 1960 Club. For advertising options with MB News, click here.