Zion Williamson, Giannis Antetokounmpo among stars pledging money to help arena workers affected by coronavirus suspensions

Austin Anderson

Zion Williamson, Giannis Antetokounmpo among stars pledging money to help arena workers affected by coronavirus suspensions image

The economic effects of the coronavirus in sports are obvious. When games are not played, tickets aren't sold, fans don't fill hotels or use taxis, and stadium and arena workers don't have jobs. With the suspension of the NBA and NHL seasons this week, the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament, the delay of the MLB season and much more, thousands of games won't be played as scheduled, and those workers will be without a source of income.

In this time of confusion and worry for many, stars across the sports world are chipping in to help.

CORONAVIRUS AND THE NBA: Why the league suspended the season

Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson announced Friday on his Instagram page a pledge to "cover the salaries" of all workers at New Orleans' Smoothie King Center, the team's home arena, for the next 30 days. "The people of New Orleans have been incredibly welcoming and supportive since I was (d)rafted by the Pels last June, and some of the most special people I have met are those who work at Smoothie King Center," Williamson wrote in the post.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

Williamson joins fellow NBA stars in pledging support for workers at their local arenas. All of them followed the lead of Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who got the ball rolling Wednesday when he said his organization would look into a program to support employees at American Airlines Center in Dallas.  

Cavaliers forward Kevin Love started the player movement Thursday when he pledged $100,000 to the staff at Cleveland's Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavaliers followed with a statement saying they would develop "a compensation plan to continue paying our event staff and hourly workforce that is impacted with the changes to our regular event schedule."

"Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations," Love wrote on Instagram. "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 Kevin Love Fund in support of the Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season."

Pistons forward Blake Griffin has reportedly pledged $100,000 to workers at Little Ceasars Arena in Detroit. Reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has done the same for workers of Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. 

The generosity has extended beyond basketball. In the NHL, Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers pledged $100,000 to pay workers at the BB&T Center while events are postponed. His teammates have chipped in to match his donation. Panthers ownership is contributing an undisclosed amount as well. 

A lot of unknowns remain surrounding Coronavirus, but Love said he hopes his donation will help ease some of the fear and anxiety. "I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities," he added in his IG post.

Austin Anderson