If you have anywhere to be on Friday night — leave early.
That advice is always apt for Los Angeles-area residents but it’ll be especially true on Friday as sporting events and high-profile concerts are likely to congest the roads in ways rarely seen.
The crowded night of events is headlined by Game 1 of the highly anticipated World Series between the L.A. Dodgers and New York Yankees.
The game, despite the shocking ticket prices, will start at 5:08 p.m. on Friday, just in time for rush hour. Traffic is already an issue at that time, as Angelenos know, and the biggest baseball game in Chavez Ravine in years won’t help.
But the World Series is hardly to blame for the increase in traffic. In all, there are five high-profile sporting events in the area on Friday and two major concerts.
Not to be upstaged by the boys in blue, the purple and gold is playing its second game in the young NBA season as the Lakers take on the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena at 7 p.m. in downtown L.A.
Those tickets will, of course, be in high demand as fans flock to see LeBron James, Anthony Davis and rookie sensation Dalton Knecht against Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Meanwhile, over in Exposition Park, the USC Trojans host Rutgers in a Big Ten football matchup at the LA Memorial Coliseum. USC will look to rebound from a disappointing loss at Maryland last week with a win against a new conference rival.
Speaking of Friday night lights, it’s also a major day for high school football in the Southland.
One of the region’s biggest rivalry games, St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei, is set to kick off at 7 p.m. at Santa Ana Bowl. While that game is further away in Orange County, the traffic will be sure to follow.
Meanwhile, as SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, it’ll be time for another one of the best rivalries in high school football as the East L.A. Classic takes shape. Garfield and Roosevelt square off in the home of the Rams and Chargers at 7:30 p.m., with the Black Eyed Peas performing during the halftime show.
Inglewood traffic will be especially crowded as two major nearby concerts take place. At the brand-new Intuit Dome, David Gilmore of Pink Floyd fame is set to perform, and at the KIA Forum, Jeff Lynne’s ELO will take the stage. The concerts are set for 7:30 and 8 p.m. respectively.
Those going to the events have already accepted that traffic isn’t going to be fun to navigate.
“You really can’t prepare for it, you just have to go with the flow,” said Chris Halverson, who’s going to the ELO concert at the Forum. “Just get going early. That’s all you can really do tomorrow.”
