How the West Was Won: An interview with ChiefsLA

Los Angeles, California. Home to the magic of Hollywood, big city aspirations, the next king of Hip-Hop, 75 miles of coastline and raucous Chiefs fans?

For more than 100 years, L.A. has been an indelible piece of American iconography. It’s immortalization into the collective imagination of the country has made it an international city of legend. Despite it’s seemingly endless list of amenities and attractions, it might surprise you to know it’s also home to a vibrant community of Kansas City Chiefs fans. That community, affectionately known as “ChiefsLA”, has grown exponentially since its inception. Led by founders Jonathan Dillon and Chris Wedding, it’s taken root in a Studio City bar called The Rec Room.

Last December, my then-girlfriend and I had the pleasure of visiting Los Angeles for a music conference and made it a point to stop by The Rec Room to mingle with the townspeople and catch the Chiefs-Falcons game. You always hear about Big Charlie’s Saloon in Philadelphia, but the Chiefs are rarely ever thought of as a fan base with national appeal otherwise.

We wanted to try our hand at one of the bars we saw advertised on the AA website (here). We didn’t quite know what to expect, but what would ensue is perhaps the most unbelievable Chiefs watch party we’ve ever experienced.