Rams Moving to Los Angeles Named Top Local Sports Moment of 2016

The Rams receiving NFL approval to return to Los Angeles was named 2016’s top sports moment at the 12th

Annual LA Sports Awards, held tonight at the Beverly Hilton.

The LA Sports Awards are produced annually by the Los Angeles Sports Council to celebrate the greatest moments of the year in the Los Angeles/Orange County area.

The Rams had played in the Los Angeles area for 48 years before moving to St. Louis prior to the 1995 NFL season. On January 12, 2016, team owners meeting in Houston voted 30-2 to approve the Rams’ application to relocate, ending the league’s 21-year absence from Los Angeles.

In other award presentations, Mike Trout of the Angels was honored as 2016 Sportsman of the Year and Olympic track star Allyson Felix was named Sportswoman of the Year. Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts received the Coach

of the Year award.

U.S. Olympic Women’s water polo coach Adam Krikorian was the recipient of the first-ever Extraordinary Achievement in Olympic Sport award.

A special Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Peter V. Ueberroth, who as president of the L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee ran the historic and remarkably successful 1984 Los Angeles Games.

During the festivities, the overall Top 10 moments of 2016 — as selected by an 11-member Media Panel combined with the results of online fan voting — were revealed in ranked order. They are:

1. Rams Receive NFL Approval to Return to Los Angeles

2. Vin Scully’s Final Season as Voice of the Dodgers

3. Kobe Bryant Scores 60 Points in his Final Game

4. Mike Trout Wins American League MVP Award

5. Dodgers Win NLDS on Clayton Kershaw’s First-Ever Save

6. USC Gets Rose Bowl Berth by Winning Last 8 Regular Season Games

7. Dodgers Clinch NL West at Vin Scully’s Last Home Game

8. Sparks Win WNBA Title

9. Rams Play their First Games at the Coliseum Since 1979

10. Corey Seager Named National League Rookie of the Year

A "moment" can be a specific instant in time (a winning goal, hit or shot), an individual or team milestone, an upset victory, a remarkable game or series of games, a special event or a career achievement. Nominated moments must have taken place in the local area or have involved a local athlete or team.

The L.A. Sports Council is a non-profit organization and will utilize the event’s proceeds to further its mission of promoting economic development through sports in Southern California. For further information, please visit the Sports Council website at www.lasports.org.

For more information, please contact:

Mark Meyers

Tel: (714) 318-2332

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