Here’s an intriguing one showing both that a crisis can arise from an unfortunate lapse and that it isn’t so hard to respond substantively to make amends. The incident? As part of its Armenian Heritage Night, the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team sold scarves made in . . . Turkey.

“The discovery sparked backlash due to Turkey’s historical role in the Armenian Genocide, a deeply sensitive issue for the Armenian diaspora,” the Greek City Times website, based in Sydney, Australia, wrote March 3. About a million Armenians were killed in the World War I–era genocide, which Turkey has never recognized.

“The controversy has fueled frustration among many in the Armenian community, who viewed the situation as a painful oversight,” the Greek City Times wrote of the Kings scarves. “Some fans took to social media to express their disappointment.” According to AP’s story, “The Los Angeles area is home to the largest Armenian community outside of Armenia.”

Facebook Post

The night in question was Feb. 22 and it wasn’t until March 1 that the Kings posted an apology on its Facebook page both from itself and the apparent supplier, Rank + Rally.

The Kings said they “want to sincerely apologize to all our friends in the Armenian Community and beyond for the oversight that may have inadvertently impacted your experience during what should’ve been a joyous celebration. We source, stock and sell merchandise from a select list of manufacturers that are officially licensed by the league, and we were unaware of the item’s production origin.”

As importantly, the team said fans who bought the scarves could return or exchange them either at the Team LA Store or via shipping, for which it would provide a pre-paid label.

This was great crisis response because the apology seemed genuine and the message explained how the problem came about and offered a substantive fix. But the team’s due-diligence laxness meant it couldn’t predict and prevent the crisis. Communicators should recognize that a crisis can blow up from such a slip-up.

‘Supplier Research’

All this was reflected in responses to the Kings’ Facebook post. One commenter wrote, “A stand up organization owning the problem and graciously offering an explanation, apology and solution.” To which another responded, “A little supplier research might have been smart.” The original poster replied, “Honestly, one of the best corporate apologies that I’ve seen.”

Yup, it was good. Oh, and another thing that happened on Armenian Heritage Night: The Kings beat Utah Hockey Club 5–3.

Photo Credit: L.A. Kings

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