The coronavirus pandemic has caused the sports world to come to a screeching to help ensure the safety of players, coaches, fans, media members and the general public. With sports stopping, many who work in the industry as part-time or hourly workers are left wondering where their next paycheck will come from.
After Dallas Mavericks owner pledged to set up a program to pay arena workers during the NBA stoppage, many players and teams have followed suit.
The NHL announced they will pausing the season until further notice, with hopes of eventually resuming the season and continuing it without reducing the amount of games played. The league will begin play "as soon as it is appropriate and prudent."
For now, many are stepping up to help others during this unprecedented time.
- Anaheim Ducks: Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli have made a commitment to pay all workers, full and part-time, who were on the schedule for the next three Ducks and Big West tournament games as well as two scheduled March concerts at Honda Center, as reported by the LA Times.
- Buffalo Sabres: Buffalo plans to pay freelance broadcast employees, cameramen, technicians as well as other workers who were scheduled to work Friday's game, the Athletic reports. They have not pledged to cover any games beyond that saying, "As of now, we expect the games to be rescheduled. We are evaluating next steps should the games be cancelled."
- Detroit Red Wings: Ilitch Companies, the company that owns the Detroit Red Wings, set up a $1 million fund to go towards part-time staff impacted by the play stoppage. The money set up will also go to those who work for the Detroit Pistons.
- Florida Panthers: Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has made a $100,000 donation to help cover the team's part-time employees as well as the arena workers, with his teammates matching the amount. Also, Panthers ownership "has pledged to make sure any further outstanding amounts are taken care of."
- New Jersey Devils: Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer said, "Employees are family. It's important to band together and lift each other up during these times," and therefore are paying hourly and event workers for canceled games and events at the Prudential Center.
Philadelphia Flyers: The Courier-Post reported that the team will cover pay of "All game-day employees who were originally scheduled to work Flyers, 76ers and Wings games that have now been postponed between March 14 - 31."
Pittsburgh Penguins: The team announced a committee will pay for full and part-time arena and service employees at PPG Paints Arena, which is home to the Penguins. Team president and CEO David Morehouse said, "The ushers, ticket takers, concession workers, cleaning staff and other arena workers are the backbone of a Penguins hockey game at PPG Paints Arena, and a big part of the Penguins' family."
San Jose Sharks: All part-time employees scheduled for Sharks and San Jose Barracuda -- the Sharks AHL affiliate -- games through the end of March will receive compensation, Mercury News reported.
Tampa Bay Lightning: A plan for paying part-time workers through March was released by team owner Jeff Vinik. The games covered include seven Tampa Bay matchups and six NCAA Tournament games.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment is working on a plan to assist part-time and event workers which totals around 4,000 staff members.
Washington Capitals: According to The Athletic, Ted Leonsis, CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, told Capital One Arena workers anyone scheduled through March will be paid. The team owner said, "Over the years, obviously, [part-time arena workers] have grown to count on those dollars and when we made the announcement to stop NHL games, NBA games, all concerts we had to have great levels of empathy for those people." The workers will be paid the typical amount for the games and if they do end up rescheduled they will receive pay then as well.
CBS Sports will continue to provide updates to this list when they become available.
