Los Angeles Wildfires Shift Vikings-Rams Playoff Game To Arizona

The NFL Wild Card game on Monday between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams has been moved from Southern California to Arizona.

Major wildfires in the Los Angeles area continued to burn throughout the week, resulting in at least 10 deaths, destroying thousands of structures, and forcing an evacuation order for more than 150,000 residents, according to published reports.

The fires prompted the NFL to make the change.

The Monday Vikings-Rams game was scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. However, it will now be played in Glendale at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. Kickoff is still set for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

SoFi Stadium is near Los Angeles International Airport, south of at least five large fires ripping through the region. Still, NFL officials moved the game “in the interest of public safety,” according to a league statement.

The Rams and Los Angeles Chargers play their home games at SoFi Stadium during the regular season. The Chargers also are in this season’s NFL playoffs, though the Chargers are on the road Saturday against the Houston Texans.

Glendale, Arizona, is about six hours east of Los Angeles by car.

Teams competing in the playoffs are vying for a spot in Super Bowl 59, scheduled to be played on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Hotel-Casinos Assist Californians Fleeing Fires

As thousands of residents flee the Los Angeles wildfires, hotel-casinos in Southern California and Las Vegas are among other hotels offering reduced rates for those seeking shelter.

South of Los Angeles, the Pechanga Resort Casino in the Temecula Valley offers reduced rates to those fleeing the fires.

“Things are heavy and, for so many, uncertain,” the Pechanga Resort Casino said on its Facebook page. “We are offering hotel discounts to those who are without power due to sustained high winds and to those displaced by Los Angeles area fires. Please call (888) PECHANGA and speak to our reservation agents to receive the impacted resident discount.”

In Las Vegas, several properties, including Resorts World, Fontainebleau, Treasure Island, South Point, and Virgin, “are offering discounted room rates for Californians fleeing the raging fires,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“Other operators, such as Wynn Resorts, are making financial contributions to the ongoing efforts on the West Coast,” the newspaper reported.

In addition to these efforts, others in the gaming industry contribute money and other assistance. For instance, FanDuel CEO Amy Howe noted on LinkedIn that FanDuel, Flutter Entertainment, and Flutter International have donated $250,000 to Americares and the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

"FanDuel has had a 25+ year presence in the L.A. community with nearly 400 employees based in California, and we are closely monitoring their health, safety, and well-being," she wrote.