The Los Angeles Rams drew criticism after a draft-day video showed GM Les Snead and staff wearing Colorado Avalanche jerseys while the LA Kings were fighting for their playoff lives — a clash of civic loyalty and owner Stan Kroenke’s Colorado sports holdings that has put the franchise’s public allegiance under scrutiny.
Rams face backlash for donning Colorado Avalanche jerseys during Kings’ playoff series
Les Snead’s recorded call to Miami receiver CJ Daniels — informing him he’d been selected with the No. 197 pick — included a visual detail that overshadowed the pick: Rams staff visibly wearing Colorado Avalanche jerseys. The clip circulated while the Avalanche held a commanding 3–0 lead over the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL Western Conference first round, and the optics drew immediate fan and media criticism.
What happened and why it matters
The incident is more than a wardrobe choice. Rams owner Stan Kroenke also owns the Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids and other Colorado franchises. When a Los Angeles team faces one of Kroenke’s Colorado franchises, the Rams’ public support has at times aligned with his Colorado holdings rather than with city counterparts — a pattern that makes the Avalanche jerseys in an LA-branded setting feel deliberate, not accidental.
Short-term fallout: perception and fan reaction
Fans saw the jerseys as a sign of divided loyalty at a moment when civic solidarity is expected. For a franchise attempting to maintain strong local ties, even small gestures can be amplified during playoffs. The Avalanche went on to sweep the Kings at Crypto.com Arena, which only hardened the narrative that the Rams were cheering against their own city’s team.
Context: cross-ownership complicates local allegiances
Cross-ownership by billionaire proprietors has created recurring clashes in modern sports. Kroenke’s portfolio puts the Rams in an awkward position whenever LA teams face Denver or Colorado opponents. Teams will often show mutual support for major local achievements — but ownership ties complicate those gestures and expose franchises to charges of inconsistent hometown loyalty.
Why the Rams likely made this misstep — and how they can respond
This appears to be a PR blind spot more than a calculated provocation. Draft-day content is designed to humanize executives and celebrate prospects, yet it also adheres to the owner’s wider sporting identity. A clear, proactive explanation from the organization acknowledging the optics and reiterating commitment to Los Angeles would defuse some criticism. Absent that, the episode risks lingering as a talking point that undercuts local goodwill.
What this means going forward
For fans and civic stakeholders, the episode underscores a broader tension: modern franchises are multi-market businesses whose loyalties can clash. For the Rams, maintaining a strong LA identity will require deliberate messaging and visible support for city teams when appropriate.
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Practically, this is a small misstep in a larger season, but it’s emblematic of how ownership structures can shape perception — and why teams must manage optics as tightly as roster moves.
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