San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer revealed that he will set aside an additional $700,000 for stadium workers while baseball season is halted due to coronavirus concerns.
Already, the MLB announced that each team will give $1 million to workers who depend on the income generated during games throughout the season. Baer’s $700,000 contribution is separate from that amount, BleacherReport notes. This additional money will go to approximately 2,600 employees in two categories. The first will go toward event-based employees who work for third party organizations, receiving a one-time grant of $500. The second portion will go toward event-based staffers like ushers and security guards, who will receive $100 to $200 per month, depending on their tenure.
“They are in many ways, in our view, really the backbone of what we’re doing,” Baer said in a statement regarding the workers. “They’re the people that work hard, work diligently and serve our fans, which is the lifeblood of our sport and our business. Without games, obviously many of them will encounter hardship.”
In mid-March, the MLB said that across the league, $30 million will be provided to workers, with more details coming per individual team. Commissioner Rob Manfred noted that he’s “proud that our clubs came together so quickly and uniformly to support these individuals who provide so much to the game we love.”
Currently, the league has halted operations due to coronavirus concerns, along with the MLS, NHL, and NBA. At this time, the league is looking to start its 2020 season at some point this summer. Manfred hopes to start a modified spring training in May.
