Every team in Major League Baseball will commit $1 million to help cover the lost wages of their respective ballpark staff after the suspension of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Motivated by desire to help some of the most valuable members of the baseball community, each club has committed $1 million,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement given to multiple outlets.
When the American sports world was put on hold amid the coronavirus outbreak, people who work as ushers, security or concession workers at stadiums and arenas around the country lost work.
In basketball and hockey, several team owners said they will continue to pay their arena workers, including Ted Leonsis, owner of the Wizards and Capitals. Star athletes like Kevin Love and Giannis Antetokounmpo have also donated money to help the affected workers.
Manfred said teams will announce their individual plans soon, and the timing will vary, “because of the need to coordinate with state and local laws as well as collective-bargaining obligations in an effort to maximize the benefits realized by each group of employees.”
2/Motivated by desire to help some of the most valuable members of the baseball community, each Club has committed $1 million. The individual clubs will be announcing more details surrounding this support effort in their local communities.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 17, 2020
3/The timing of these announcements will vary because of the need to coordinate with state and local laws as well as collective bargaining obligations in an effort to maximize the benefits realized by each group of employees.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 17, 2020
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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