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Staples Center Workers to Be Paid Amid Lakers, Clippers, Kings Hiatus
The NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and L.A. Clippers, as well as the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, have finalized a plan to pay Staples Center workers who rely on income from games. Both leagues are suspended amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lakers provided a statement on the plan, per NBC Los Angeles' Shahan Ahmed:
Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register first reported the news Friday, noting the three teams are working with AEG, which owns Staples Center, to compensate workers such as ushers and security personnel.
The Lakers and Clippers also said they will pay game-night employees such as dance team members and announcers during the NBA's suspension.
A number of players have publicly committed to supporting stadium workers during the hiatus.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson said he will cover the salaries of Smoothie King Center workers for 30 days, and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo pledged $100,000 to staff at Fiserv Forum. Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love and Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin did the same for workers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Little Caesars Arena, respectively.
Teams and owners across the NBA have also gotten involved.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told reporters he is putting a plan in place for hourly workers at American Airlines Center, and the Bucks announced they will match player donations to part-time workers after Antetokounmpo made his gesture. The Cavaliers said they will pay all hourly and event staff as if the games and events are still happening.
Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler said the team will pay part- and full-time employees, per Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, while Washington Wizards governor Ted Leonsis said he would do the same for part-time employees through the end of March, per Mark Segraves of NBC 4 Washington.
At least 2,033 people in the United States have been infected by the coronavirus, and 47 have died, per CNN. There have been more than 132,000 confirmed cases of the virus worldwide and 4,947 deaths.