#LAKings Kings, Ducks exploring possibility of outdoor games in Carson (Daily News)
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Are you ready for some outdoor hockey?
The Kings and Ducks are exploring the possibility of playing some home games this season at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson if socially distanced fans eventually are allowed to be in attendance by local health officials.
In addition to the Kings and Ducks, the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins are looking into playing outdoors, according to Canada’s Sportsnet. The NHL still hasn’t set a date for opening night for its coronavirus-delayed 2020-21 season, and its targeted Jan. 1 start could come and go.
Neither the Kings nor the Ducks would comment on the possibility of playing outdoors.
Shifting home games outdoors would be a longshot for all four teams, but especially for the Kings and Ducks. Health officials in Los Angeles County must lift bans on fans attending outdoor sporting events before the Kings and Ducks would play in the 27,000-seat stadium in Carson.
The Rams and Chargers, L.A.’s two NFL teams, cannot host fans at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and fans also are banned at the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl for USC and UCLA football games. Additionally, the Dodgers and Angels played their home dates without fans this past season.
The high cost of staging multiple outdoor games also would be a significant hurdle to overcome for the Kings and Ducks. A makeshift rink would need to be built and maintained, similar to the one used during the outdoor game at Dodger Stadium between the Kings and Ducks in 2014.
Plus, opposing teams would have to agree to playing outside.
Proposals to play outdoors were discussed during a Board of Governors conference call last month, according to The Athletic, which also reported the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators also expressed an interest in hosting games outdoors.
The three New York-area teams, the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were among the teams that told the league, no thanks during the conference call, according to The Athletic.
Dignity Health Sports Park is home to the MLS’ L.A. Galaxy, owned by Kings corporate parent AEG. The stadium also was the temporary host to the Chargers before they and the Rams moved into their new home, the $5-billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, this season.
By adding the Ducks in a joint venture, the Kings could cut some of the costs of hosting games in Carson. The Ducks were a natural opponent to play the Kings when the Kings hosted the first outdoor game to be played in California, on Jan. 25, 2014 in front of 54,099 fans at Dodger Stadium.
One year later, the Kings played the San Jose Sharks outdoors at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Last season, the Kings faced the Colorado Avalanche in a third Stadium Series game, this one at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
More to come on this story.
https://www.dailynews.com/2020/12/03...mes-in-carson/
The Kings and Ducks are exploring the possibility of playing some home games this season at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson if socially distanced fans eventually are allowed to be in attendance by local health officials.
In addition to the Kings and Ducks, the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins are looking into playing outdoors, according to Canada’s Sportsnet. The NHL still hasn’t set a date for opening night for its coronavirus-delayed 2020-21 season, and its targeted Jan. 1 start could come and go.
Neither the Kings nor the Ducks would comment on the possibility of playing outdoors.
Shifting home games outdoors would be a longshot for all four teams, but especially for the Kings and Ducks. Health officials in Los Angeles County must lift bans on fans attending outdoor sporting events before the Kings and Ducks would play in the 27,000-seat stadium in Carson.
The Rams and Chargers, L.A.’s two NFL teams, cannot host fans at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and fans also are banned at the Coliseum and the Rose Bowl for USC and UCLA football games. Additionally, the Dodgers and Angels played their home dates without fans this past season.
The high cost of staging multiple outdoor games also would be a significant hurdle to overcome for the Kings and Ducks. A makeshift rink would need to be built and maintained, similar to the one used during the outdoor game at Dodger Stadium between the Kings and Ducks in 2014.
Plus, opposing teams would have to agree to playing outside.
Proposals to play outdoors were discussed during a Board of Governors conference call last month, according to The Athletic, which also reported the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators also expressed an interest in hosting games outdoors.
The three New York-area teams, the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals were among the teams that told the league, no thanks during the conference call, according to The Athletic.
Dignity Health Sports Park is home to the MLS’ L.A. Galaxy, owned by Kings corporate parent AEG. The stadium also was the temporary host to the Chargers before they and the Rams moved into their new home, the $5-billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, this season.
By adding the Ducks in a joint venture, the Kings could cut some of the costs of hosting games in Carson. The Ducks were a natural opponent to play the Kings when the Kings hosted the first outdoor game to be played in California, on Jan. 25, 2014 in front of 54,099 fans at Dodger Stadium.
One year later, the Kings played the San Jose Sharks outdoors at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Last season, the Kings faced the Colorado Avalanche in a third Stadium Series game, this one at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
More to come on this story.
https://www.dailynews.com/2020/12/03...mes-in-carson/