LA sports teams - many who have billion-dollar valuations - donate a paltry $8m to fire victims
Share:
The sum committed by the 12 professional teams was described online as ‘embarrassingly low’ and ‘laughable’ by social media users. Social media users reacted with disbelief after it was announced that 12 Los Angeles-area professional sports teams, collectively worth tens of billions of dollars, donated a combined $8 million to wildfire relief funds - and sent out a press release praising their own efforts.
![[Donation drives have been organized and promoted by the teams individually and collectively, since the start of the devastating fires in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/15/16/SEI235890430.jpg)
The sum was described online as “embarrassingly low" and "laughable,” as many pointed out the immense wealth and value of the teams and their owners, which is believed to be around $36 billion combined. The teams involved, who are based in LA and the surrounding region, are: Angel City FC, the Anaheim Angels, the Chargers, the Clippers, the Dodgers, the Dodgers, the Ducks, LA Galaxy, the Kings, LAFC, the Lakers, the Rams and the LA Sparks.
![[Some expressed irritation that teams, many of whom have extremely wealthy owners, were encouraging fans to donate their money while contributing so little]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/15/16/SEI235891400.jpg)
“$8M in donations for the LA fires by 12(!) local sports teams. To put that in context, if Steve Ballmer (owner of the Clippers) donated that much on his own, it would be 0.000064 of his total worth,” one user wrote on X. The Independent has reached out to all 12 of the sports organizations involved for comment on the proposed donation. None responded in time for this report.
![[Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has a personal fortune of over $125 billion, according to Forbes]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/01/16/22/CLIPPERS_69374.jpg)
On Monday, the teams released a joint statement promoting their pledge of a combined $8 million to support the victims of the fire. “As the people of Los Angeles and its surrounding communities begin the long recovery from the region’s devastating fires, 12 professional sports organizations… have pledged a combined donation of more than $8 million to support victims in need, as well as those fighting the fires,” a statement put out by the teams read.
