By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
With so much TV revenues at stake, the NFL is not playing around with trying to make sure that National Football League games are not lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to the deaths of 210,000 Americans.
If you thought ten Raiders getting fined for breaking coronavirus protocols at a fund-raiser last week was a big deal, the NFL told execs and officials with all 32 teams that there will be video monitoring to make sure those protocols are followed and there is a ban on social gatherings outside of the team facilities like the Raiders headquarters near St. Rose Parkway in Henderson across the street from the Henderson Executive Airport.
NFL.com said Raiders tight end Darren Waller, who held his foundation’s fund-raiser in Henderson last week, was fined $30,000. Nine other Raiders platers were there, too, and they were fined a total of $165,000. Players Derek Carr, Derek Carrier, Zay Jones, Nevin Lawson, Erik Magnuson, Foster Moreau, Nathan Peterman, Hunter Renfrow, Jason Witten were each fined $15,000 apiece.
The event raised about $300,000, but Raiders owner Mark Davis said a week ago “he was disappointed the news of the maskless players overshadowed the charitable nature of the evening,” NFL.com reported.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was not pleased about coronavirus violations and said punishments could include forfeits of games and loss of draft choices.
CNN reported, “If it is determined that club personnel or players failed to have followed the protocols, discipline will be issued and will escalate where noncompliance continues,” Goodell writes in the memo. “Protocol violations that result in virus spread requiring adjustments to the schedule or otherwise impacting other teams will result in additional financial and competitive discipline, including the adjustment or loss of draft choices or even the forfeit of a game.”
While the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association played in controlled coronavirus bubble environments, the National Football League is allowing its teams to host games in their home stadiums and markets. Major League Baseball did a hybrid, allowing teams to play in their home ballparks during a truncated 60-game season. But the Divisional Series playoffs this week are being played in neutral-site ballparks in markets like Los Angeles and San Diego.
The NFL has already seen a team suffer a COVID-19 breakout as the Tennessee Titans did not play their scheduled game Sunday because of the coronavirus cases among players and staffers. Games have already been shuffled on the schedule because of the pandemic. Take a look:
Coach Jon Gruden even socked with a fine for not wearing his facemask. He had to stroke a check for $100,000 to pay his NFL fine, while the team was hit with another $250,000 for failing to follow thye NGL coronavirus rules during the Raiders’ 34-24 upset of the New Orleans Saints in their second game of the season. Here’s one scene Gruden didn’t need a mask:
Latest Raiders sponsorship deal: America First Credit Union. the Raiders’ official credit union partner, is launching the first-ever exclusive Raiders debit card fans can use to show team support all year round. The AFCU Las Vegas Raiders debit card is a unique collaboration between the team and credit union that stands out from the rest with the Raider’s iconic colors and logo.
Southern Nevada frontline medical workers light the Al Davis Memorial Torch prior to kickoff of last Sunday’s game versus the Buffalo Bills at Allegiant Stadium
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