It’s now been two weeks since Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19 and the NBA suspended its season. Since then, we’ve seen athletes donate to COVID-19 relief, some faster and more generously than others.
The Cavaliers’ Kevin Love was the first to offer support to part-time stadium staff with the Pelican’s Zion Williamson quickly following. Since then, teams, leagues, owners and players have offered financial support toward their local communities in need.
The NBA is an $8 billion business. The NFL earns about $8 billion as well. Major League Baseball earns about a $9 billion per year. So are leagues, teams and players doing enough to provide relief to those financially affected by COVID-19? You decide.
Athletes Donate To COVID-19 Relief, By The Numbers
NBA
| $50 Million | NBA and WNBA Players and Teams |
| 100K Stadium employees | Kevin Love (Cavaliers) |
| 30 days salary for all part-time Minute Made Stadium employees | Zion Williamson |
| $1 million Stadium employees | Golden State Warriors Owners, Coaches and Players |
| 500K Utah charities | Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz) |
| Salary for all part-time area workers | Marc Cuban (Owner Denver Nuggets) |
| 100K to Mayo Clinic for testing | Karl Anthony-Towns (Timberwolves) |
| Salaries for game night staff through end of season | Celtics |
| Salaries for Barclay’s Center staff | Nets |
| 100K Fiserv Stadium Employees | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| $2 million compensation package | DeVos Family (owners Orlando Magic) |
| Compensation for game day staff | Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks |
| Compensation for hourly staff | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| $1 million for stadium staff | Arison Family (owners Miami Heat) |
| Salaries for part-time employees for any game missed | Memphis Grizzlies |
| $1 million package for Smoothie King Center employee compensation | Gayle Benson (owner Pelicans and Saints) |
| Compensation for Staples Center staff including game-day staff, announcers, security, dancers, statisticions | Clippers and Lakers |
| Game-day staff through March 22 | Knicks and Rangers |
| Compensation for part-time and regular employees | OKC Thunder |
| $1.4 million for part-time employees | Portland Trailblazers |
| Compensation for game-day staff | Sacramento Kings |
| 500K compensation package for part-time and non-salaried employees | San Antonio Spurs |
| $150K to UNICEF | Jeremy Lin (former Knicks) |
| Compensation for part-time staff of Wells Fargo Stadium through NBA hiatus | 76’ers |
| Compensation for stadium staff through March | Phoenix Suns |
| Salaries for G-League Players and Staff | Hornets Owners and Players |
| $500K to COVID-19 relief | Joel Embiid (76’ers) |
| 323K to Brooklyn charities and Feeding America | Kyrie Irving |
| 100K in COVID-relief | Devin Booker (Suns) |
MLB
| $30 million ($1 million per team) | MLB |
| $150K to Atlanta-based charities | Freddi Freeman (Braves) |
| $200K to Chicago-based charities | Jayson Heyward (Cubs) |
NFL
| $5.4 million to Atlanta and Montana charities | Arthur Blank (Falcons owner) |
| 100K | Bill Morse Foundation (owner Buffalo Bills) |
| 500K | Joe Ellis (owner Denver Broncos) |
| $1 million to Gleaners Food Bank Indy | Jim Isray (owner Colts) |
| $250K to LA Food Bank | LA Chargers |
| $500K to SF charities | SF 49’ers |
| $500K in relief | McNair Family (owner Texans) |
| $1 million to COVID-19 Response Fund | David Tepper (owner Panthers) |
| $500K | Miami Dolphins |
| $1 million | Baltimore Ravens |
| $500K | Minnesota Vikings |
| $250K | Chicago Bears |
| $1.5 million to Ohio-based charities | Dee and Jimmy Haslam (owners Cleveland Browns) |
| Free childcare for ten weeks for NY-based emergency personnel in conjunction w/Meadowlands YMCA | NY Giants |
| Salaries for part-time employees and first responders | Seattle Seahawks |
| $100K to Atlanta-based charities | Matt Ryan (Falcons) |
| $250K LA Food Bank | Jared Goff (Rams) |
| $250K LA Food Bank | Andrew Whitworth (Rams) |
| Matching all donations up to 50K for Cleveland Food Bank | Baker Mayfield |
| $350K to Houston Food Bank | JJ Watt |
| One million meals to Feeding America | Russell Wilson (Seahawks) |
| 20,000 meals to St. Louis Food Bank | Pierre Desir (Colts) |
| 6,000 meals to Harvesters | Tyreek Hill (Chiefs) |
| 15,000 meals to Harvesters and 100K to local charities | Pat Mahomes (Chiefs) |
| 12,000 meals to Harvesters | Travis Kelce (Chiefs) |
About 100 athletes have also donated signed memorabilia to be auctioned off for charity. So how did your favorite athlete or team do?
Photo:@zionwilliamson/Instagram
Let’s talk about more people doing good in the world of sports. Right here.
