LOS ANGELES — With the fierce winds that exacerbated the catastrophic fires in the Los Angeles area subsiding, members of the athletic community are beginning to address the aftermath.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that his family lost their rental home in Pacific Palisades due to the recent fire. “I can’t recall the last time I felt such deep sorrow,” he expressed after a practice session. The Lakers are set to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, while the LA Clippers plan to host the Charlotte Hornets, although both teams have yet to finalize their game schedules amidst the ongoing situation.
Redick disclosed that the house was engulfed in flames on Tuesday while the Lakers were away. Fortunately, his wife Chelsea and their two children were safely outside of the area when the fire erupted.
In the NFL, the staff at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium has been working relentlessly to prepare for a playoff game after a sudden venue change. The wild-card match-up between the LA Rams and Minnesota Vikings was relocated from Inglewood due to the destructive fires affecting Los Angeles.
A significant challenge has been assembling the requisite 3,500 personnel needed for the event, including food service workers and parking attendants. Additionally, staff has been busy painting the field in Rams’ colors and revamping the multimedia elements within the stadium to mirror SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Mark Dalton, Cardinals vice president of media relations, asserted that many people are cooperating to ensure the game can take place. “It’s genuinely a collaborative effort,” he noted.
The NFL is stepping up its support for communities impacted by the wildfires, pledging $5 million in aid. Contributions from various clubs, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, and Houston Texans, aim to assist local organizations. Commissioner Roger Goodell expressed his sorrow over the devastation in LA and his admiration for the bravery displayed by first responders and community members.
The Rams have aligned with the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, extending support to both city and county services, alongside the American Red Cross. The Kroenke family, owners of the Rams, has pledged $1 million through their foundation to assist the LAFD Foundation. Similarly, the Chargers are contributing to the Red Cross, LAFD Foundation, Team Rubicon, and animal rescue groups.
As part of their efforts, players and staff from both teams will don LAFD-themed hats and shirts at scheduled games on Saturday and Monday, with merchandise sales funding relief initiatives. Game-worn jerseys and select used footballs from the match-ups will also be auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross. Additionally, the Minnesota Vikings and Wilf Family Foundations are providing a matching contribution of $1 million to aid relief efforts, matched by the NFL Foundation and the Houston Texans.
In college basketball, top-ranked UCLA has opted to take a break from competition on Sunday after Northwestern University decided against traveling to Los Angeles due to the ongoing wildfires. The Wildcats will also miss their game against No. 4 USC on Wednesday. Northwestern cited “concerns regarding the extended wildfires affecting the greater Los Angeles area” as the reason for their decision.
UCLA announced there is no immediate danger to its Westwood campus, confirming that activities can continue based on air quality assessments. The university proposed a change of venue for Northwestern, but the Wildcats decided to play at home instead. The Big Ten is currently exploring options to reschedule the affected games.
Meanwhile, USC is prepared to host Penn State on Sunday, with the Nittany Lions scheduled to visit UCLA on Wednesday. Bruins head coach Cori Close, along with assistant coach Tony Newnan, have residences bordering the fire evacuation zone. “We’ve been quite lucky that the winds shifted,” Close said on Friday. Several players on the team, hailing from out of state or other countries, are feeling uneasy about the ongoing crisis. “There’s certainly a palpable anxiety,” Close acknowledged.
Pepperdine University has adjusted game times for its doubleheader against Loyola Marymount on Saturday, with the women’s match beginning at 1 p.m. and the men’s at 4:30 p.m. at Firestone Fieldhouse. Access to the Malibu campus has been limited, as the Pacific Coast Highway south of the campus remains closed due to the nearby fire.
In NHL news, the Los Angeles Kings had to postpone their scheduled home game against Calgary, marking the first major sports event canceled due to the wildfires. Kings player Trevor Moore, the only California native on the team, spoke about the difficult situation as their flight took off to Winnipeg amid the unfolding crisis. “It’s definitely challenging,” Moore remarked. “Seeing friends losing their homes is heart-wrenching.” The Kings plan to wear helmet stickers in tribute to the LAFD.
In horse racing, Santa Anita Park, housing over 1,800 horses, remains unthreatened by the fires, although air quality is impacted. Nevertheless, some members of the racing community have felt the repercussions. Jockey Mario Gutierrez, a two-time Kentucky Derby winner, lost his home in the devastation, according to his agent. Several trainers have had to evacuate their residences, with ongoing power outages affecting them. Despite these challenges, trainer Tim Yakteen expressed gratitude for their relative safety compared to others facing more severe losses. Racing operations at the park are set to resume Saturday, contingent on acceptable air quality levels.
In soccer, U.S. Soccer has decided to relocate its January training camps for the U.S. women’s national team and Future Camp for aspiring USWNT stars to Florida due to the wildfires. Scheduled for January 17-23, the camps will take place at the Florida Blue Training Center in Fort Lauderdale. Sporting director Matt Crocker emphasized the priority of player and staff safety, noting that the ongoing fires and poor air quality prompted the decision.
Lastly, USC has canceled an outdoor swimming competition against UC San Diego this Saturday, citing potential air quality issues in downtown Los Angeles.
