Miami Heat pledge $1 million to part-time arena employees affected by work stoppage

Miami Heat owner Micky Arison donates $1 million to part-time arena workers

The Miami Heat officially announced their willingness to compensate part-time arena employees and also a $1 million donation to the franchise's charitable fund designed for workers in need.

On Wednesday, they released a statement saying they will continue to help those affected by the NBA suspending the season because of the coronavirus threat. Operations were halted last Wednesday when Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was diagnosed with the illness before their game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since, six more players have tested positive for the virus.

Games are postponed at least 30 days. League commissioner Adam Silver said they will re-assess the situation once the period passes. 

Visit https://t.co/a1z2J3k35O for more information and words from Eric Woolworth, President of The HEAT Group’s Business Operations pic.twitter.com/iJiFaYHHkh

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 18, 2020

“We have approximately 1,000 part-timers and they are the backbone of our business,” said Eric Woolworth, president of the Heat Group’s Business Operations. “Night in and night out, every single one of these employees works tirelessly to provide our guests and our community with the best experience in sports and entertainment. They deserve our help as we all navigate this unpredictable situation together. We are eternally grateful to the Micky & Madeleine Arison Family Foundation for always stepping forward to provide their unwavering support.”

The NBA has released no updates on when the season would resume. All major professional sports leagues have postponed their seasons. The NCAA canceled the women's and men's basketball tournaments. As of Wednesday, 115 people in the United States have died from the coronavirus.

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