The Los Angeles Kings Hockey team issued an apology on Saturday, after it was revealed that scarves and other merchandise bearing the Armenian trim-color and sold during an “Armenian Heritage Night” were manufactured in Turkey.
The Kings stated they were unaware of the swag’s production origin, as they source their merchandise from a select list of manufacturers officially licensed by the league. They apologized for the negative impact this oversight had on the celebratory experience of Armenian Heritage Night for the community.
“We, the LA Kings and our partners at Rank & Lobby, want to sincerely apologize to all our friends in the Armenian Community and beyond for the oversight that may have inadvertently impacted your experience in what was should have been a joyous celebration,” the LA Kings said in a statement posted on the team’s Facebook page and other social media sites.
Acknowledging the gravity of the oversight, the team announced options for refunds or exchanges to address the community’s concerns.
The LA Kings did not state whether the team planned to revisit its agreement with the manufacturer, which clearly is peddling made-in-Turkey products.
