Celtics Will Pay Team-Employed Game-Night Workers During Coronavirus Stoppage
BOSTON (CBS) -- The absence of basketball is hitting fans hard, but that is nothing compared to those who are feeling the suspended season hit their wallets. But the Celtics are going to help their team-employed workers in this difficult time.
While the coronavirus outbreak has put the NBA and other leagues on hold, the Celtics will be paying their part-time, game-night employees through the end of the regular season. This includes game-night performers, locker room attendants, scoring and stat staffs, and ball boys. The Celtics had nine home games left on their regular season schedule when the league suspended play after Utah Jazz center Rudy Golbert tested positive for the virus.
Though the Celtics will be playing their employees, this does not include arena workers -- ushers, concession workers, security -- at TD Garden, which is owned by Delaware North and the Boston Bruins. The Celtics and Bruins were not involved in a joint plan to compensate those employees as of Monday night, according to the Boston Globe, but that will likely change in the near future. (Insert your own snide comment on Jeremy Jacobs here.)
Throughout the NBA and NHL, several players and teams have pledged to help with stadium workers during the stoppage in play. Over the weekend, it was reported that the NBA wasn't expected to return until June, which is a "best-case scenario."
