NBA Players And Owners Donate At Least $100,000 To Their Arena Staff Amid Closures

This has been a hard time for many who are affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. As we reported earlier, businesses, events, and tourist attractions are being shut down to to prevent the spread of the virus — including NBA sports arenas.

Because the arenas are closed, this means that area staff workers will be out of the job for the time being — but NBA players are stepping up to help hundreds of workers.

Cavs player Kevin Love shared on Instagram that he is donating $100,000 to support the staffers during the area’s closing.

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Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming. Through the game of basketball, we’ve been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I’m committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities. Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It’s important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don’t feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.

A post shared by Kevin Love (@kevinlove) on Mar 12, 2020 at 2:36pm PDT

Milwaukee Bucks star player Giannis Anterokounmpo matched Love’s donation with committing $100,000 of his own money to support the Buck’s staff.

It’s bigger than basketball! And during this tough time I want to help the people that make my life, my family’s lives and my teammates lives easier. Me and my family pledge to donate $100,000 to the Fiserv Forum staff. We can get through this together!

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) March 13, 2020

Later in the day, Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson also pledged to help the workers in their home arenas.

Williamson promised to cover all worker salaries for 30 days.

The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was Drafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at smoothie King Center. These are the folks who make our games possible, creating the perfect environment for our fans and everyone involved in the organization. Unfortunately, many of them are still recovering from long term challenges created by Katrina, and now face the economic impact of the postponement of games because of the virus. My mother has always set an example for me about being respectful for others and being grateful for what we have, and so today I am pledging to cover the salaries for all of those Smoothie King Center workers for the next 30 days. This is a small way for me to express my support and appreciation for these wonderful people who have been so great to me and my teammates and hopefully we can all join together to relieve some of the stress and hardship caused by this national health crisis. This is an incredibly resilient city full of some of the most resilient people, but sometimes providing a little extra assistance can make things a little easier for the community.

A post shared by Zion Williamson (@zionwilliamson) on Mar 13, 2020 at 2:24pm PDT

Meanwhile, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports that Griffin has pledged $100,000 to the workers at Little Caesars Arena.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban first brought the issue up Wednesday night after the NBA announced it would suspend games indefinitely. The Mavericks announced on Friday afternoon that it would pay event staff for the estimated six home games that will be missed during the 30-day hiatus.

Just released by Mavs. Team will pay staff over six projected home games that will be missed. pic.twitter.com/0k1hZumAz2

— Jay Busbee (@jaybusbee) March 13, 2020

Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler agreed to join Cuban in doing something similar for his arena workers, and the Philadelphia 76ers have said they would do something.

This is so thoughtful for everyone to come together and support the staffers. God bless them all!