Sabres to pay lost wages for arena staff
NEW YORK: The Buffalo Sabres became the latest team to commit to paying arena employees for work lost because of suspension of play in the NHL due to the coronavirus.
Kim Pegula, who owns Pegula Sports & Entertainment with her husband, Terry, made the announcement on Saturday. The Pegulas also own the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League, as well as the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.
“Our gameday employees at the arenas in Buffalo and Rochester will be paid for any lost wages due to regular season game cancellations. They are part of our PSE family and even though we expect that the games will be played, we want to assure them they will be paid in the event that is not the case,” the statement read. “We are grateful for the gestures from our players, staff and the Buffalo Sabres Foundation who have all offered to step up in a time of need.”
In Boston, Bruins players have contributed to a GoFundMe page set up Saturday morning to help part-time workers at TD Garden. The team has not yet made a commitment to assist workers and their families.
“Covid-19 precautions have led to pauses in NHL, NBA and Garden event activity. Hundreds of loyal TD Garden workers will lose considerable and critical income during the suspension of events,” the GoFundMe page reads. “Bruins and Celtics fans should step up and help these families fill the void caused by this terrible health crisis. We should come together as a community to demonstrate our strength, mutual loyalty and commitment.”
Since the NBA and NHL halted play earlier this week, a number of teams have said they will pay their arena workers. NBA players Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Zion Williamson and Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, have said they will make sizeable donations to help the staff.
ASTROS DUO PITCHING IN
Houston Astros stars George Springer and Alex Bregman joined the ranks of
US sports figures stepping up to help out stadium workers and others impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Astros outfielder Springer, the 2017 World Series MVP, is donating $100,000 to Minute Maid Park workers who stand to lose wages after Major League Baseball pushed back the start of Opening Day, scheduled for March 26, “at least two weeks”.
“These are the people that help take care of my family when I go to work,” Springer said through his agency, Excel Sports Management. “Now I want to help take care of them when they’re in a time of need.”
Bregman donated 1,000 quarantine food kits which the Houston Food Bank said would make sure students who normally receive free lunches at school will get 28 meals per kit while their schools are closed.
The Astros players swell the ranks of athletes and teams who have pledged to provide financial assistance to hourly wage workers who will be hard-hit by the disruption to the sporting schedule. The Los Angeles Times reported the assistance package is expected to be worth more than US$5 million.