温哥华加人队Canucks Sports&Entertainment周日宣布,其中一名员工的COVID-19测试呈阳性。加人队并未透露更多相关细节,但Canucks说该人是其“专职办公室人员”的成员。 据报道,他并没有与粉丝或球员接触。
Canucks Sports&Entertainment的首席运营官Trent Caroll在一份声明中提到该患者并没有直接面对球迷,也没有与球员,冰球运营人员或Rogers Arena兼职活动人员有过密切接触。因此,公共卫生局已将其确认为公众暴露的风险很低。
Crazy how fast things are unfolding. A member of CSE office staff has tested positive for COVID-19. We are in close contact with health authorities, all protocols are being followed. CSE offices are separate from Rogers Arena and no event staff has had contact. Stay safe! https://t.co/18UlE9lrag
— Francesco Aquilini (@fr_aquilini) March 16, 2020
对于北美的体育迷来说,上一周是令人震惊的一周,因为几乎所有的联赛,锦标赛或其他比赛都因COVID-19大流行而无限期关闭。尽管大多数宣传都关注球队和运动员的表现,或者球迷的应对方式,但事实是,另一个团体受到的打击甚至更大。
职业运动队雇用大量的比赛夜班兼职人员,他们的工资是时薪制。 例如,金州勇士队雇佣大约1,500名兼职员工在旧金山大通中心参与各种比赛的组织和服务工作。这些员工如果没有比赛,则不会有任何报酬。
当达拉斯小牛队在联盟暂停比赛之前打完最后一场NBA比赛时,其拥有者Mark Cuban立即发誓要为竞技场工作人员做些事情。
Mark Cuban has already started to put in a plan to help Mavericks employees who may be impacted by the NBA’s indefinite suspension of the season. pic.twitter.com/Cd7ABVjQdM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 12, 2020
此后,其他一些NBA球队也以一种或多种形式效仿,包括亚特兰大老鹰队,布鲁克林篮网队,克利夫兰骑士队,萨克拉门托国王队和底特律活塞队。
Thank you @kevinlove — coming through in the clutch 🙏
We’re behind you, as we also announced earlier today that we are compensating all of our @RMFieldHouse hourly and event staff team members as if every game and every event is still taking place!
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 12, 2020
同时,伊利奇公司(Ilitch Companies)宣布,他们将设立100万美元的基金,以支付其所聘球队的兼职活动人员的工资,其中包括NHL的底特律红翼队和MLB的底特律老虎队。
We are committed to supporting our colleagues in this time of uncertainty. In light of the coronavirus and in conjunction with our partners, we are setting up a $1 million fund to cover the wages of our part-time event staff impacted by postponed events. https://t.co/G37FR5teK7
— Ilitch Companies (@IlitchCompanies) March 13, 2020
拥有多伦多猛龙队以及许多其他专业体育特许经营权的MLSE表示,“正在完成计划以协助我们的兼职和活动人员,这个团体有近4,000名敬业活动人员组成。”
MLSE statement on suspension of NBA, NHL and MLS seasons. pic.twitter.com/remYl1rTyB
— MLSE PR (@MLSEPR) March 12, 2020
截止到发稿时为止,全加至少有416例确诊病例,其中安省177例,BC省103例,阿省56例,魁省50例。曼省7例,萨省6例,新斯科舍省5例。爱德华王子岛和纽芬兰各有1例,此外还有4例因为游轮疫情在隔离。