The Los Angeles Kings have issued an apology due to the sale of scarves manufactured in Turkey during Armenian Heritage Night, hosted last month. In their statement on Saturday, the Kings expressed their apologies to the Armenian community and others affected by the oversight that might have dampened the celebratory event. They clarified that merchandise is sourced and stocked from a list of officially licensed league manufacturers and that they were unaware of the scarves’ production origins.
The Los Angeles region hosts the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia itself. Relations between Armenia and Turkey have historically been strained due to the tragic events that took place starting in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. During this period, around 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives through massacres, deportations, and forced marches. This incident is considered genocide by historians; however, Turkey refutes this characterization.
To address the situation, the Kings are providing options for full refunds or exchanges to individuals who purchased the scarves from the TEAM LA store. Armenian Heritage Night, which is an event held annually, took place on February 22nd this year.
