Bobrovsky to donate $100K to help part-time workers at BB&T Center

Sergei Bobrovsky is leading the way in a fundraising effort to help BB&T Center part-time employees affected by the postponement of events because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Florida Panthers goalie, who signed as a free agent July 1, will donate $100,000 to the cause, with other teammates matching that total as a group. Panthers ownership also will contribute to help part-time employees make up for lost wages because of canceled or postponed events at BB&T Center.
With the NHL regular season being paused as of March 12, multiple teams have started to announce plans to ensure that arena workers are being paid.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will use funds from player donations, the Penguins Foundation and the Mario Lemieux Foundation to pay their arena workers.

In Detroit, the Ilitch Companies set up a $1 million fund to make sure Little Caesars Arena workers are paid while the NHL season is paused.

The New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks have also publicly announced plans to pay arena workers through the end of the regular season.
Comcast Spectacor, which owns Wells Fargo Center, home of the Philadelphia Flyers, shared plans to pay all game-day workers for games postponed through March 31.
Anaheim Ducks Owners Henry and Susan Samueli are paying the 2,100 part-time employees of their sports and event management companies for current or future rescheduled, postponed or canceled events through June 30.
Vinik Sports Group will pay workers who were to work Tampa Bay Lightning games through the end of the regular season and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said it has finalized plans to aid their near 4,000 game-day workers.

Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis informed game-day workers they would be paid their normal wages for March and be paid again if any March games end up being rescheduled for a future date, according to the Washington Post.
The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Saturday, in a public statement by Rocky Wirtz and Jerry Reinsdorf, that they will be paying all staff, including their 1,200 game-day workers, regular wages through the remainder of the regular season.

AEG, the organization that owns and operates Staples Center, not only home to the Los Angeles Kings, but also the NBA's Lakers and Clippers, announced that it has set up a fund to help all 2,800 part-time game-day staffers cope with lost wages during the suspended seasons..
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Colorado Avalanche, pledged to pay part-time and hourly workers at Pepsi Center for the next 30 days and are advocating their vendors and partners do the same.
The Montreal Canadiens implemented special measures for uninsured arena workers of both Montreal and Laval of the American Hockey League to receive 75 percent of their remaining wages. Insurance-eligible employees will receive 95 percent of their salaries, the maximum legally allowable to receive an insurance benefit, as the Canadiens upped their insurance benefits by 40 percent. Canadiens players then committed additional money to ensure workers would receive their full wages.
The Ottawa Senators have finalized a program to help meet the needs of each individual member of their staff during the season pause.

John Bean, president and CEO of the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation, announced that insurance-eligible employees will also receive 95 percent of their salaries, and workers who are not insurance-eligible will receive the maximum allowable amount until the end of the team's regular season.

Alex Merulo, the Arizona Coyotes owner, chairman and governor, said they would support the team's part-time and hourly employees and also part-time and hourly workers at Gila River Arena through April 4. The Coyotes will also also support part-time workers for Tucson of the American Hockey League during the pause.
Tom Dundon, the Carolina Hurricanes owner, committed compensation for hourly workers who lost wages due to the pause. Hurricanes players also donated money to Carolina's part-time employees to bridge the temporary financial strain.
Wild owner Craig Leipold announced he will pay the team's part-time employees who were scheduled to work Minnesota's final six home games that were suspended.
The Jacobs family, owners of the Boston Bruins, established a $1.5 million fund for part-time and hourly employees affected by the pause.