LOS ANGELES EMERGES AS NHL HUB CITY CONTENDER

LOS ANGELES, CA -- With the NHLPA ratification of a 24-team NHL return to play format making a return of the 2019-20 season more realistic, there is increasing focus on which North American cities will act as hosts for the hub cities for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While cities like Edmonton, Columbus, Las Vegas, Toronto and Vancouver have been prominent in media reports, TFP has learned Los Angeles is among the contending markets to host NHL action.

Confirmed by a source directly involved in the resumption-of-play discussions between the NHL and NHLPA, the bid by the Anschutz Entertainment Group, the owner of the Los Angeles Kings and owner/operator of Staples Center, is being considered by the NHL as a site for the continuation of play.

The possibility of Los Angeles being a host was heightened last week when California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that with the low rate of hospitalization for COIVID-19 in the state, professional sports staged without fans in attendance could occur as soon as “the first week or so of June.”

While that is good news for sports fans throughout the state, Los Angeles presently is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in California. On the heels of Newsom’s pronouncement, LA Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer directly commented with reservations.

“I know for all of us we’d be very excited to be able to see our teams starting to get ready to play again. I look forward to hearing from the state what the protocols are going to be and the directives to make sure that the activity is able to happen in a way that keeps everybody as safe as possible,” she said.

Despite those concerns, other Los Angeles professional teams have opened training facilities, specifically the NBA’s Clippers and Lakers and the MLS’ Galaxy and LAFC.

While those teams are not likely to play in Los Angeles if those leagues resume play (Orlando, Florida is a favorite for both leagues), with recent reports suggesting the NHL return-to-play in late July, it’s hoped that further inroads against the fight against COVID-19 will continue locally over the coming weeks to affirm Los Angeles as a viable location from a safety and health perspective. On Friday, Ferrer stated the statistics in Los Angeles County are trending in the right direction.

“Thanks to everyone’s efforts, our data points to steady declines in hospitalizations, deaths, and the percent of people testing positive,” Ferrer said.

Without question, the LA Live complex in downtown Los Angeles has the resources to house a Western Conference post-season tournament. In addition to Staples Center, the JW Marriott/Ritz Carlton hotel combination within yards of the area has over 1,000 rooms and numerous restaurant options to support the housing of the players and team staff.

From a security standpoint, the complex is no stranger to major public events and its ability to cordon off the surrounding blocks around LA Live, as it does for events like the Grammy Awards, will provide another layer of protection for NHLers.

Additionally, there is a subterranean connection between the JW Marriott and Staples Center that can enable athletes and supporting personal to be shuttled to and from housing to the arena.

Los Angeles has multiples ice surfaces including Toyota Sports Performance Center (the practice home of the Kings and the AHL’s Ontario Reign) and LA Kings Pickwick Ice in Burbank that would fulfill the requirement for team practices.

Another Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey is a short drive to the Toyota Sports Performance Center and could be another NHL headquarters.

One distinct advantage Los Angeles holds over the other cities in consideration is due to this season’s performance of the homestanding Kings. With the ratification of the 24-team post-season, it affirmed the foregone conclusion that the Kings would not be participating by virtue of their 14th place standing in the NHL’s Western Conference, eliminating the potential of a home city advantage that would occur in cities like Edmonton and Las Vegas.

While the final decision on host cities has not been made on NHL hub cities, Los Angeles is now on the list of possible hosts.