The Los Angeles Kings recently hosted an Armenian Night, which unfortunately turned into a public relations setback. Given that the Los Angeles area is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia, the team aimed to honor this significant demographic. Fans attending the game on February 22 against the Utah Hockey Club were given Armenian scarves as a token of appreciation. However, it was later revealed that these scarves were produced in Turkey, a country with a fraught historical relationship with Armenia.
The tension between Armenia and Turkey dates back to the early 20th century, particularly the events surrounding the deaths of approximately 1.5 million Armenians during the massacres, deportations, and forced marches that began in 1915 in Ottoman Turkey. This tragic period is widely recognized by historians as genocide, a classification that Turkey disputes.
In response to the backlash, the Kings issued an apology. “We, the LA Kings and our partners at Rank & Rally, sincerely apologize to all our friends in the Armenian community and beyond for the oversight that may have inadvertently impacted your experience during what should have been a joyous celebration,” the team stated in a release. “We source, stock, and sell merchandise from a select list of manufacturers that are officially licensed by the league, and we were unaware of the item’s production origin.”
To address the situation, the Kings are offering full refunds or exchanges for anyone who purchased the scarf at the TEAM LA store.
