Matthew Stafford, Kawhi Leonard, Steve Kerr.
Getty Images (3)The tragic wildfires that consumed large parts of Southern California had a profound impact on the world of sports and prominent members of the sports community.
Since first a fire broke out in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, more than 17,000 acres were burned. The ensuing fires in the region burned a total of more than 40,000 acres, leaving at least 24 dead.
After the fires, professional sports teams in the area – including the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA and the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL – were forced to postpone games. The NFL’s Los Angeles Rams moved a game completely by moving their Wild Card game against the Minnesota Vikings to Glendale, Arizona.
On Monday, January 13, all 12 major professional sports teams in the Los Angeles area – including MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels, NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy – pledged a donation of more than 8 million dollars to “support victims in need as well as those fighting the fires.
Roden Eckenroth/FilmMagic; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Many reality TV personalities have evacuated Los Angeles amid the ongoing wildfires that started in the Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7. “My heart goes out to those affected by the fires here in LA County,” former Bachelorette Katie Thurston wrote via Instagram Story on Wednesday, January 8. “Awakening this (…)
Read on for more information on how wildfires have affected the world of professional sports.
Los Angeles Rams move playoff game to Arizona
The Los Angeles Rams were forced to move the game from the Wild Card round of the playoffs, which was originally scheduled to be held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, in Glendale, Arizona.
In a game that was as emotional as it was cathartic, the Rams defeated the Vikings 27-9 to earn a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL divisional round on Sunday, January 19.
The crowd was full of Rams fans, many of whom had come from Los Angeles. Kelly Staffordthe wife of the Rams quarterback Matthew Staffordwas responsible for hiring multiple buses from LA to make sure diehard Rams fans could attend.
“We knew we weren’t playing just for us,” Matthew, 36, told reporters after the game. “We played for people at home who needed something to watch and be entertained.”
Lakers, Clippers and Kings All rescheduled games
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL were forced to reschedule games during the ongoing destruction of the fires.
Both of the Lakers’ home games scheduled for Thursday, January 9 and Saturday, January 11 against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs have been postponed. Meanwhile, the Clippers’ home game scheduled for Jan. 11 against the Charlotte Hornets has also been postponed. Dates for the preparation of the games have not been announced.
The Los Angeles Kings also postponed their home game scheduled for Wednesday, January 8 against the Calgary Flames. No makeup date has been announced.
As wildfires continue to spread through the Los Angeles area, several celebrities are taking to social media to share how they’ve been affected. “Evacuated and safe with kids, dogs and cats. We are praying and grateful for the first responders,” Mandy Moore wrote in a Wednesday, Jan. 8, statement on her Instagram Story. In a follow-up post, she (…)
On Monday, Jan. 13, both the Lakers and Clippers returned to their home parks – the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles and the Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood – for games against the Spurs and Heat, respectively.
“Sports really work well when the team, the organization has a connection to the city and the fans feel a connection to the team,” Lakers head coach JJ Reddick said before the game, a 126-102 loss to the Spurs. “And then it just kind of flows in a perpetual cycle of that. The Lakers have that with the city of Los Angeles. Having played here before and lived here, I know this connection well. And part of the reason I wanted to train here was to be a part of it.
Following a 2-1 road win over Winnipeg on Saturday, January 11, the Los Angeles Kings posted via X, “For LA 🤍.”
Lakers head coach JJ Reddick is losing his home
Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach, JJ Reddicklost his home in the fire that destroyed Pacific Palisades.
“I’ve been through most of the village and it’s all gone, and I don’t think you can ever prepare for something like that,” Reddick, 40, told reporters on Friday, Jan. 10. “Our home is gone.”
Redick continued, “We hired for a year to try to figure out where we want to be long term. Everything we owned that mattered to us, almost 20 years together as a couple and 10 years of parenting, was in this house. There are certain things that you cannot replace, that will never be replaced.
The first-year NBA coach shared a home with his wife, Chelsea Reddickand their two sons: Knox10 and Kai8.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr is losing his childhood home
Head coach of the Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr lost his childhood home in Pacific Palisades, which was still the residence of his 90-year-old mother Ann.
“My mother is in good hands, but her house is gone,” Kerr, 59, told reporters on Thursday, January 9.
Hollywood productions and industry events were suspended amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. “The past two days have brought unprecedented risk to life and property from multiple wildfires while placing extraordinary demands on public safety personnel,” the nonprofit Film LA wrote in a production alert on Wednesday, Jan. 8. “With deepest appreciation for (…)
Kerr added: “This is my hometown. All my friends who are from there, almost all of them lost their homes – their family homes, their childhood homes. Our high school is gone. The city looks like it has just been completely obliterated. It’s surreal and devastating. Fortunately, almost everyone was saved. But it’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades is recovering and becoming a thriving community again. It’s just shocking.”
Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers is leaving the team
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard left the team on Wednesday, Jan. 8, to be with his family, who owns a home in Pacific Palisades.
“You definitely have to take care of home,” Clippers coach, Tyronn Luethey announced.
Lue added: “I got 100 percent of my support. He goes back, checks on his family and kids, makes sure they’re okay. And he’s back and they’re doing well, so we’re just happy and thankful for that.
Leonard missed the Clippers’ game against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, a 126-103 loss, after making his season debut on Saturday, Jan. 4, after a knee injury sidelined him.
According to an NBA insider Chris Hinesleonard’s girlfriend Kichel Shipleyand the couple’s two children were forced to evacuate the home.
per TMZLeonard’s home survived the fire and he returned to the Clippers, appearing in the team’s 109-98 win over the Miami Heat on Monday, January 13.
