WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Hawai'i Governor Josh Green M.D., State Senator Lynn DeCoite, State Representative Adrian Tam and Rams President Kevin Demoff spoke with local media on Wednesday about the Rams' Mauicamp Powered by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), which will take place from Monday, June 16 to Thursday, June 19.
After wildfires devastated parts of Maui in August of 2023, the Rams raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through the sale and auction of custom-made "Mālama Maui" shirts and the in-game 50/50 Raffle supporting American Red Cross relief efforts, among other fundraising endeavors. Those efforts, along with their previous relationship from hosting a preseason game in 2019, made both sides realize that "a partnership is in order," Green said.
"We wanted to find a way to thank L.A. for one huge reason, which if I say nothing else today, it should be this: Mahalo," Green said. "Mahalo means thanks, and it's thanks from our heart."
"Our state went through a very, very tragic and tough circumstance in 2023... And we're healing, we're growing, we're returning to a place where we can live again. But the Rams stepped up, and they ran their Mālama, which was a care campaign for us, and brought incredible resources to help us heal, reestablish the need to travel to Hawai'i, to Maui."
Green said they reached out to the Rams to discuss having minicamp in Maui while staying at Fairmont Kea Lani, which will serve as "an official home of the Rams" – they accepted. On Tuesday, June 17 and Wednesday, June 18, the Rams will host on-field team activities, featuring players in workout gear at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku.
After team activities on Tuesday, the Rams will host a girls flag football and boys football clinic for 400 local student-athletes, and then players and staff will join Habitat for Humanity to assist the rebuilding of four homes in Lahaina. On Wednesday, the Rams will host a PLAY 60 Field Day for local children ages 5-12 who participate in the County of Maui's Play and Learn Sessions (PALS) Summer program on Wednesday.
"It is going to be a special four days for the organization and hopefully something that the rest of the NFL really looks at celebrating as we get to the end of the offseason," said Demoff.
The Tuesday on-field football session will be invite-only through HTA, while Wednesday's session will be open and free to the public through ticket sales.
This agreement is currently only in place for one year, but both the Rams and the state of Hawai'i are leaving the door open for a longer relationship that will encourage more Rams events in Hawai'i. Demoff mentioned 2028, when Los Angeles will host the Olympics, as a potential opportunity for that.
"We're hopeful to be able to continue it and see how it goes and where we can go from there," Demoff said. "... Governor Green and I have been talking over the past few years, we would love to see a stadium get get built there and as soon as one did, I think we would love to get back there for preseason."
The damage that both Los Angeles and Hawai'i have endured from wildfires over the past few years has only fortified the connection between the Rams and The Aloha State.
"At that time, we didn't know how tied together we would be by devastating wildfires when we made this announcement, but I think that strengthened the bond between our islands and Los Angeles," Green said. "It's made this an even more important event."
The last time they held a preseason game in Hawai'i, it sold out within 12 hours of the announcement and became the most attended event at Aloha Stadium, beating out a Bruno Mars performance, "which was a good one to pass," Demoff said with a smile. He added that this is "a truly symbiotic relationship that we hope grows over time."
DeCoite and Tam also expressed their thanks for the Rams' generosity and excitement about the partnership.
"I'm excited to welcome the Los Angeles Rams to Hawai'i so we can not only foster more economic stimulus and grow our economies, but to grow a fan base for the Los Angeles Rams in Hawai'i as well so that we can continue to have them come visit us when we build our new stadium," Tam said.
Added DeCoite: "There's been no team that I know of today like the LA Rams that have stepped up, have truly pushed out Aloha."
Although he grew up a Steelers fan in Pittsburgh, Green said he always liked the Rams' "electric" franchise, and has come to appreciate it even more in working with the team's leadership. Bringing the team to Hawai'i recognizes both their appreciation for the Rams' generosity and the youth of Hawai'i's growing fandom and athletic aspirations.
"This is our opportunity to bond with the L.A. Rams," Green said. "This is our opportunity to say, you are fantastic, you're the people we trust, and we want to have a positive impact and a generational relationship."
