The Big Lead

Emmy award-winning broadcaster reveals his house burned down in Southern California wildfire

By J.P. Hoornstra

Dec 5, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fox Sports Net reporter Patrick O'Neal (left) interviews Southern California Trojans forward Nikola Vucevic after the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Galen Center. USC defeated Texas 73-56.
Dec 5, 2010; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fox Sports Net reporter Patrick O'Neal (left) interviews Southern California Trojans forward Nikola Vucevic after the game against the Texas Longhorns at the Galen Center. USC defeated Texas 73-56. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
facebooktwitter

The effects of the Southern California wildfires have been felt in the sports world all week.

First, the NHL postponed a game between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames scheduled for Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena. The next night, the NBA cancelled the Lakers' home game. The Los Angeles Rams will call Glendale, Arizona home for their first playoff game.

Broadcaster Emmanuel Acho announced at the outset of his FS1 show The Facility Thursday that he was forced to evacuate his home in Hollywood the night before. Friday, FanDuel Sports West broadcaster Patrick O'Neal revealed an even worse fate: his home in Malibu was among the thousands that burned down in the Palisades Fire.

"I want to send out my prayers to the many who have suffered tremendous loss caused by these fires in Los Angeles County," O'Neal said during the game broadcast of the Kings-Jets game on Friday. "Thousands have lost their homes. Our family has been impacted as well, as we have lost our family home in Malibu. I want to thank everyone for their support. Thankfully our family is safe. The dogs, too."

O'Neal then encouraged viewers to "donate to any number of worthy causes" via the Kings' website.

O'Neal has been nominated for six Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards for Outstanding Sports Reporting, winning the honor in 2006 and 2018.

In addition to his work on the FanDuel Sports Network's NHL broadcasts, O'Neal is a pregame and postgame host on the network's Los Angeles Angels broadcasts, in addition to filling in on play-by-play duties alongside analyst Mark Gubicza.

MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead
CFB: Previewing Ohio St.-Texas Cotton Bowl
CFB: Ohio St. fans buy tix to wrong bowl game
NFL: Telesco firing not just ‘same old Raiders’ move
NFL: Mock draft 4.0: Who will the non-playoff teams pick?

Home/Sports Media