Sports Events Workers Looking For Freelance Jobs Amid Sports Industry Shutdown Caused By Coronavirus Pandemic
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
The shutdown of sports and entertainment events because of the coronavirus pandemic means the freelance work for DJs, emcees, ushers, concessions workers and venue workers have dried up in Las Vegas.
In other cities, NBA players such as Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers donated $100,000 to help pay for the lost wages of workers at the Cavaliers’ arena, while the New Orleans’ Pelicans’ Zion Williamson has pledged to cover the salaries lost by workers at the Pelicans’ venue, Smoothie King Center.
Here in Las Vegas, NHL Golden Knights have game crew workers who have lost work from sports events closing down. They went on social media to explain their plights like Joe Green who does DJ work at VGK games, David Schlager who does camera work at games for several local teams including VGK and Jake Wagner who handles music selections at VGK games and other sports events.
LVSportsBiz.com also caught up with Carnell Johnson, known by the nickname, “Golden Pipes,” for singing the national anthem at Golden Knights games at T-Mobile Arena. Here’s a Facebook post of his situation:
Schlager is a hard-working events workers who totes a video camera on his shoulder and captures the images you see on arena scoreboards at T-Mobile Arena, Thomas & Mack Center and Cashman Field. Here’s his Facebook post about his situation.
Wagner is an encyclopedia of music and works sports events in Las Vegas. He posted this on Twitter:
Green handles the DJ work. He explained on social media that no events, no shows, no gatherings mean no work.
In Detroit, a $1 million fund has been set up by Ilitch Conpanies, which own the Tigers and Red Wings.
“The Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers, 313 Presents, Fox Theatre, and Little Caesars Arena have set up a $1 million fund to cover one month’s wages for our part-time staff for games, concerts, and events that they would have otherwise worked were it not for the recent cancellations and postponements caused by the coronavirus crisis. In other words, if they were scheduled to work at an event that has been cancelled in the next month, they will be paid. Where there are opportunities, arena staff will be moved into other roles,” according to the Ilitch Companies News Hub..
In South Florida, NHL Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is donating $100,000 to the part-time employees at BB&T Center in west Broward County:
*
If you are an arena or sports worker who lost work and have a story to share, you can email me at asnel@LVSportsBiz.com.
