By Jourdan Rodrigue, Alex Andrejev and Rebecca Tauber
The wild-card playoff sport between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings on Monday can be moved from SoFi Stadium to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., after a number of wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles County space this week, the NFL introduced Thursday. The sport stays scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
The NFC’s No. 4 Rams had been beforehand slated to host the matchup towards the No. 5 Vikings at their Inglewood, Calif., venue, however the league pivoted to its contingency plan after the lethal fires burned tens of 1000’s of acres round Los Angeles, displacing residents beneath evacuation orders and destroying greater than 5,000 constructions, in keeping with current estimates from fireplace officers. Officers instructed a number of shops Wednesday that the fires killed at the very least 5 individuals.
“The choice was made in session with public officers, the collaborating golf equipment and the NFLPA,” the NFL mentioned Thursday.
Per a Rams spokesman, the Arizona Cardinals will open their amenities for the crew to make use of for observe, walkthroughs and conferences forward of Monday’s sport. The Rams will journey to Arizona afterward Friday.
Tickets to the sport at State Farm Stadium will go on sale at 10 a.m. PT on Friday for Rams season ticket holders and at midday PT for most people, the NFL mentioned.
The Rams initially started observe as scheduled on Thursday afternoon. However partway by means of that observe, winds got here by means of and new smoke appeared on the mountain horizon as information broke of the brand new Kenneth Hearth in West Hills. The crew canceled post-practice participant exercises, locker room and media availability so gamers may verify on members of the family and get house.
GO DEEPER
LA wildfires drive Lakers postponement as lethal blazes drive evacuations
Different Los Angeles sports activities groups, together with the Chargers, adjusted their schedules as a result of impression of the fires. The Chargers — who play in a wild-card playoff sport towards the Texans on Saturday in Houston — modified their observe schedule Wednesday to restrict the time gamers spent outdoor on the sector as a result of probably unhealthy air high quality.
AirNOW, the U.S. Environmental Safety Company’s index for reporting air high quality, considers AQI ranges from 101 to 150 to be “unhealthy for delicate teams,” and recommends that outside actions be shorter and fewer intense as soon as the extent tops 100. Lengthy or intense outside actions ought to be averted above 150, per AirNOW, and all individuals ought to keep away from all bodily exercise outdoor above 200.
The sweeping devastation of the wildfires, which started earlier this week, had already postponed a Los Angeles Kings’ house sport towards the Calgary Flames deliberate for Wednesday night time, Los Angeles Lakers’ house sport towards the Charlotte Hornets set for Thursday night time and a girls’s basketball sport between Pepperdine College and Portland on Thursday. ESPN was additionally compelled to vary its programming on Wednesday as a result of a manufacturing facility in Los Angeles was closed.
Among the many 1000’s of constructions destroyed within the fireplace is the childhood house of Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who instructed reporters his 90-year-old mom was compelled to evacuate and is at present protected.
“It is surreal and devastating,” Kerr mentioned Thursday, later including, “It is arduous to even fathom how Pacific Palisades rebuilds and the way it turns into a thriving neighborhood once more. It is simply surprising.”
Steve Kerr confirms his childhood house in Pacific Palisades burned within the fireplace. He mentioned he was there two weeks in the past for dinner together with his mom (who made it out protected). Right here he’s intimately on the devastation of the hearth and the reminiscences gone. pic.twitter.com/mvJuBwPo9g
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) January 9, 2025
Carlos Vela, who performed for Los Angeles FC, misplaced his house as a result of fireplace, his spouse introduced on her Instagram story. Angel Metropolis defender Ali Riley additionally posted on X that her household misplaced its house.
This was our house. How is that this actual. It could possibly’t be actual. #PalisadesFire pic.twitter.com/0ddg3nP1YI
— Ali Riley (@RileyThree) January 9, 2025
Clippers star ahead Kawhi Leonard missed a sport towards the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday to be with household evacuated due to the fires.
In the meantime, the historic Rose Bowl Stadium, situated close to the Eaton Hearth, is within the vary of evacuation orders issued.
The standing of different occasions scheduled in Los Angeles stay unclear, together with a sport between the LA Clippers and the Hornets on Saturday and The Genesis Invitational, a cease on the PGA Tour deliberate for Feb. 10-16 at The Riviera Nation Membership within the Pacific Palisades.
Required studying
(Picture: Mario Tama / Getty Pictures)