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Matthew Stafford, Kawhi Leonard, Steve Kerr.
Getty Images(3)The tragic wildfires that have engulfed large parts of southern California have greatly affected the sporting world and prominent members of the sporting community.
Since he fired first in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 7, more than 17,000 acres have burned. Subsequent fires in the region have burned a total of more than 40,000 acres, leaving at least 24 people dead.
Following the fires, professional sports teams in the area – including the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings – have been forced to postpone games. The Los Angeles Rams moved the NFL game entirely, moving their Wild Card playoff 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 to “support victims in need, as well as those fighting the fires.
Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic; Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images Many reality TV personalities evacuated Los Angeles amid the ongoing wildfires that broke out in the Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7. “My heart goes out to those affected by the fires here in LA County,” former Balorette Katie Thurston wrote via Instagram Story on Wednesday, January 8. “Wake up this (…)
For more information on how wildfires have affected the world of professional sports, keep reading.
Los Angeles Rams Move Playoff Game to Arizona
The Los Angeles Rams were forced to relocate their Wild Card playoff game, originally scheduled to be held at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, to Glendale, Arizona.
In a game that was as emotional as it was cathartic, the Rams defeated the Vikings 27-9, earning a date with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Divisional Round on Sunday, January 19.
The crowd was full of Rams fans, many of whom had made the trip from Los Angeles. Kelly StaffordRams quarterback’s wife Matthew Staffordwas responsible for charter multiple buses by the LA to ensure diehard Rams fans could attend.
“We knew we weren’t just playing for ourselves,” Matthew, 36, told reporters after the game. “We were playing for people at home who needed something to watch and enjoy.”
Lakers, Clippers and Kings Rescheduled Games
The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings were forced to reschedule games during the ongoing devastation of the fires.
The Lakers’ home games scheduled for Thursday, January 9 and Saturday, January 11 against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs, respectively, have been postponed. Meanwhile, the Clippers home game scheduled for January 11 against the Charlotte Hornets was also postponed. Make-up dates for 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 across the Los Angeles area, several celebrities are taking to social media to share how they have been affected. “Empty and safe with children, dogs and cats. Praying and thanking for the first responders,” Mandy Moore wrote in an Instagram Story statement on Wednesday, January 8. In a subsequent post, she (…)
On Monday, January 13, the Lakers and Clippers returned to their home floors – the Lakers at the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown LA and the Clippers at the Intuit Dome Inglewood – for games against the Spurs and the Heat, in that order.
“Sports work really 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 Redick said before the game, a loss 126-102 to the Spurs. “And then it just flows in a sort of eternal cycle of that. The Lakers have that with the city of Los Angeles. Having played here before and lived here, I am very aware of that relationship. And part of the reason I wanted to train here was to take part in that.”
Following a 2-1 overtime road win over the Winnipeg on Saturday, January 11, the Los Angeles Kings posted via X, “For LA 🤍.”
Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick Loses His Home
Los Angeles Lakers head coach, JJ Redickhe lost his home in the fire that destroyed the Pacific Palisades.
“I went through most of the village and it’s all gone, and I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for something like that,” Redick, 40. told reporters on Friday, January 10. “Our home is gone.”
Redick continued, “We were renting for the year to try to figure out where we wanted 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 that house. There are some things you can’t replace, will never be replaced.”
The first-year NBA coach shared the home with his wife, Chelsea Redickand their two sons: Knox10, s Kai8.
Warriors Coach Steve Kerr Loses Childhood Home
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr he lost his childhood home in the Pacific Palisades, which was still home to 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 halted during the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. “The past two days have brought unprecedented risk to life and property from multiple area wildfires, while also placing extreme demands on public safety personnel,” non-profit Film LA wrote in a production alert on Wednesday, January 8. . “With deepest appreciation for the (…)
Kerr added, “That’s my hometown. All my friends who are from there lost almost all their homes — their family homes, their childhood homes. Our high school is gone. The town looks like it has just been completely wiped out. It’s surreal and devastating. Fortunately, almost everyone escaped. But it’s hard to even fathom how Pacific Palisades is rebuilding and becoming a thriving community again. It’s stunning.”
Kawhi Leonard Leaving the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard he left the team on Wednesday, January 8 to be with his family, who own a home in the Pacific Palisades.
“You definitely have to take care of home,” Clippers coach, Tyronn Luepublish
Lue added, “I had my full support 100 percent. Going back, checking on his family and children, making sure they are healthy. And he came back, and they’re doing fine, so just happy and grateful 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, January 4 after a knee injury kept him out of action.
According to NBA insider Chris HynesLeonard’s love, Kishelle Shipleyand the couple’s two children were forced to leave 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.
