With The NBA Suspended, The Kroenkes Have Committed To Financially Supporting Their Employees

The global pandemic of the novel coronavirus is having a powerful and sobering international impact on people, businesses and institutions in all walks of life, with some of its most visible effects impacting sports leagues and associations around the world. The NBA is no exception, having gotten a sudden, shocking wake-up call earlier this week as it became the first, and so far only major North American sports league with players testing positive for the virus.

On March 11, with approximately 20% of the 2019-20 NBA regular season as well as the playoffs yet to be played, the league suspended all games until further notice after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, and subsequently teammate Donovan Mitchell, tested positive for COVID-19.

The announcement came during the Denver Nuggets' road loss to the Dallas Mavericks, whose owner Mark Cuban in a mid-game interview wasted no time in downplaying the consequences for his basketball team, instead expressing his concern for the well-being of the employees who will be unable to work during the suspension.

"It's not about the team, it's about the country and life in general," Cuban told ESPN. "I'm concerned, now that we're not playing games, what about all the people who work here on an hourly basis?"

In his post-game press conference, Cuban went on to affirm that he was committed to financially supporting the Mavericks and American Airlines Center support staff.

"This isn't about basketball, this is people's lives at stake," Cuban stated at the presser. "I reached out to our folks at the arena and our folks at the Mavs to find out what it would cost to financially support people who aren't going to be able to come to work."

"We've already started the process of having a program in place," he added.

In contrast to Cuban's timely remarks in support of his workers, over the next few days there was a cloud of doubt hanging over the wage-earning employees of the Denver Nuggets as well as the Pepsi Center staff who work the team's home games, as it was unclear whether they would receive similar support from the owners.

The initial statement issued the following day by team president and governor Josh Kroenke stood in stark contrast to Cuban's supportive commitment.

Kroenke's official statement encouraged all Nuggets "fans, partners and employees to practice good judgment and follow the suggested protocols" for preventing the spread and contraction of the novel coronavirus, and closed with a flowery message of positivity:

"We are stronger and better when we work together," Kroenke concluded. "Let's not allow that to be any different as we continue to endure through this difficult time for all human beings." The statement did not include a commitment, however, to financially supporting the employees who will now miss work indefinitely.

In a further development, Denver 7 News reported that Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) venues will hold no events of any type for the next 30 days. In addition to the Pepsi Center, this will mean lost work for employees at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Paramount Theater and 1STBANK Center.

Fortunately for employees of the Kroenkes, a third development was just announced in an additional KSE statement which confirmed that their organization will, in fact, be providing financial support for their workers.

"Our hourly KSE event staff plays an integral role in ensuring our fan experience is first class in every way," Josh Kroenke said in the statement. "And it is with these thoughts in mind that KSE will continue to pay its part-time and hourly employees for the next 30 days."

Kroenke added that KSE has also asked their vendors and partners to likewise continue paying their employees.

Although the Kroenke ownership family has developed a reputation for penny-pinching when it comes to spending on their sports franchises, the potential economic and medical ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, especially for those in financially unstable situations, moved the question of how to address the needs of their workers out of the realm of a standard business decision, and into that of a more urgent humanitarian quandary.

Considering the the struggles KSE workers would face if they temporarily lost their income, especially in the relative context of the Kroenke family's enormous wealth - with Stan Kroenke estimated by Forbes to have a net worth of $10 billion - providing financial support through this time was not only the morally and ethically correct move for the organization, but hopefully a no-brainer as well.

It remains to be seen whether the NBA will resume play in just 30 days, extend the suspension or cancel the season altogether. But if the situation comes to either of the latter two outcomes, it will be incumbent on KSE and the Kroenke family to continue finding solutions to providing their workers with the financial support they will need to weather this crisis.

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