The move is in “the interest of public safety,” according to a news release from the National Football League.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Vikings-Rams Wild Card game has officially been moved to Arizona in the “interest of public safety” as fires continue to burn in southern California, according to a news release from the National Football League.
The game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings was originally slated to be played on Monday, Jan. 13 at SOFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The game will now be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on the same day.
The NFL said in a news release that the decision was made in consultation with public officials, participating clubs and the NFLPA.
Tickets to the game will go on sale at 11 a.m. Arizona time on Friday through Seatgeek.com for Rams season ticket holders and 1 p.m. Arizona time for the general public, the news release said.
Several major fires were burning in areas of the vast Los Angeles metroplex following two days of extraordinary winds. A major threat broke out Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills, close to the heart of the entertainment industry, but had been contained by Thursday morning.
At least 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 45 square miles (117 square kilometers) — roughly the size of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history.
The Rams held their first practice on Thursday but canceled their player media availability so everyone could go home quickly. The Los Angeles area was to remain at a high fire risk through Friday, the National Weather Service said.
Relocations are rare in the NFL. In 2003, wildfires prompted the league to move a Monday night regular-season game between the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Rams had a Monday night game against Kansas City relocated from Mexico City to Los Angeles in 2018 because of concerns about the playing surface at Azteca Stadium.
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, NBA’s Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football’s Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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