BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Southern California was a natural destination for the NWSL’s first-ever media day, and not only for the benefits of gathering in a warm location in the winter. The history of women’s soccer runs through the area, most notably hosting the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, and it is such a hotbed for talent that 10 players in attendance hail from the region. As athletes and media members gathered in the reliably picturesque Beverly Hills, though, it was hard to ignore the realities of the last few weeks.
Wildfires have raged on in Southern California since Jan. 7, with nine fires blazing by the end of Friday and covering around 50,000 acres overall. Nearly 30 people have died and thousands of others have been displaced, some staying at the Beverly Hilton as the days counted down to the NWSL’s first media day at the hotel.
“Just being here the last couple of days, and this is true for our ecosystem, I don’t think you can walk around the city of Los Angeles and not meet someone who’s directly affected or one degree of separation,” commissioner Jessica Berman said.
That includes Angel City FC captain Ali Riley, who lost her childhood home in the Palisades fire and just days before her…
