Yankees, NYCFC Announce $1.4M Distress Fund for Day-of-Game Stadium Employees

The New York Yankees and MLS club NYCFC announced a $1.4 million distress fund for game-day employees of Yankee Stadium on Thursday:

The Yankees released the following statement:

Full-time and part-time staff who work at Yankee Stadium during MLB and NYCFC games will be eligible to benefit from the grant to aid with "essential expenses such as food, medical care, shelter and other vital needs" during the coronavirus pandemic.

Major League Baseball halted spring training March 12 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the 2020 regular season had been set to begin March 26, but it has been delayed and has no start date.

MLS also suspended its season, following in the footsteps of the NBA and NHL.

With no Yankees or NYCFC games taking place, Yankee Stadium workers could soon find themselves in a financial crunch.

The $1.4 million grant supplements a pledge made by MLB last month. As part of the pledge, all 30 teams agreed to donate $1 million each to be used toward aiding ballpark workers.

While there is no guarantee there will be a 2020 MLB season or that the MLS season will resume, it is highly likely that the MLB campaign will be shortened if it does happen.

Also, games could be played without fans, which would lessen the need for stadium workers and impact pay during the season as well. It is also possible that games could be played at neutral sites by some or all teams.