STADIUM FUND
Yankees start $1.4M program for workers affected by coronavirus shutdown
On Thursday, the Yankees announced a $1.4 million “distress” fund for Yankee Stadium workers impacted by the coronavirus shutdown.
But which Yankee Stadium workers are eligible — and how much they’ll receive during the global pandemic — remains the million-dollar question.
According to the Yankees’ fund description, which was posted to the Yankees’ team Twitter account, the “New York Yankees COVID-19 Disaster Relief Program” will reimburse or pay some workers’ coronavirus-related expenses, including for “funeral needs.” However, the fund will not provide “wages, income replacement, or continuation of compensation or employee benefits” for their workers unable to earn a paycheck while the league is on hiatus until lateMay at the earliest.
Though Forbes estimated the Yankees’ value at $4.6 billion in 2019, the organization wrote that the fund has “limited resources available to provide assistance” and “may be amended or terminated at any time.”
The Yankees list criteria to determine their workers’ worthiness for “disaster relief,” though the money is ultimately sent at the “sole discretion of the Yankees.”
The joint venture between the Yankees, Major League Soccer’s NYCFC, and Legends Hospitality — which handles
Stadium gameday food and concessions and was cofounded by the late George Steinbrenner and Cowboys boss Jerry Jones — requires workers to have logged at least 100 hours during the 2019 season to receive aid during the global pandemic. (NYCFC workers only need 30 hours across the shorter MLS season.) However, exceptions can be granted to workers based on “demonstrated qualifying need.”
How can Yankee Stadium employees prove they need the money while they’re out of work?
The required application involves listing out bills and expenses over the next 30 days, specifically rent, transit, food, utilities, and a field marked as “other.” Staffers can upload bills and invoices to further demonstrate their worthiness for relief aid.
“Eligibility for assistance” — as the team defines it — “does NOT mean that assistance will necessarily be paid.”
Earlier, each of MLB’s 30 teams, including the Bombers, pledged $1 million dollars in coronavirus relief for their respective “ballpark employees,” but thousands of stadium workers around the country claim they have yet to receive any money. Across the East River, hundreds of Citi Field food workers claim the Mets and Aramark, who contracts the workers for the stadium, have expressed their frustration with the lack of communication or financial commitment.