Pro Athletes, Groups and Companies Step Up to Help Those in Need During COVID-19 Crisis

Steve Warren
03-17-2020

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Professional athletes are stepping up to help their communities and their colleagues who won't get paid while games are canceled.

For example, NBA star Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans announced he'll pay the salaries of workers at the Smoothie King Center for 30 days. 

Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has pledged to keep paying employees in the American Airlines Arena.

"Because now that they're not going to have that income. That's just not right," Cuban said. 

Houston Texans star J.J. Watt and his wife Kealia Ohai, who plays soccer for the NWSL's Chicago Red Stars, are donating $350,000 to the Houston Food Bank, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

That money is estimated to provide more than 1 million meals to those in need.

Other athletes are also making similar donations. The Los Angeles Times compiled a list of players and donations, which includes the players, coaches, and owners of the Golden State Warriors. 

In addition, CBS Sports and Turner Sports will pay all of the technicians, including freelancers who were scheduled to work during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, Final Four Weekend, and the Division II and Division III National Championship games. 

In an email to all of the members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, IBEW Director Robert Prunn said CBS Sports will pay "straight-time hours" for the days for which each professional was booked and will also make "corresponding benefit contributions to the Flex Plan and Entertainment Industry 401K plan." It also added that "payment will be made in weekly payroll over the next few weeks, just as if you were working," according to the website SportsVideo.org. 

"The IBEW extends its sincerest thanks to CBS Sports for this incredible gesture towards our freelance members. We especially would like to recognize the efforts of CBS Sports EVP Patty Power, who, from early on, was communicating with us, understood the gravity of the impact on our members, and, together with the CBS Sports executive leadership team, worked hard to make this happen," Prunn continued. 

In a tweet, The TV Life wrote: "Slight relief for some freelancers. CBS Sports has agreed to pay technicians and utilities who were scheduled to work the NCAA Tournament, Final Four, Division II, and Division III National Championship."

Great move from @CBSSports."

The professional sports leagues are also donating money to help their communities, including food for children who depend on meals at school.

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of
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