Buffalo Sabres: Pegula family make right call to pay arena employees
With teams and athletes stepping up to ensure their arena employees impacted by COVID-19 are compensated, the Buffalo Sabres have followed their lead.
As the sports world takes a wait and see approach with the developments of COVID-19, the Buffalo Sabres are providing some assurance to those great impacted by the suspension.
Kim Pegula, who is the co-owner of Pegula Sports and Entertainment with her husband Terry, announced that arena employees will be paid for the hours missed. They join countless teams and athletes stepping in to provide some financial stability in a tough time.
"“Our gameday employees at the arenas in Buffalo and Rochester will be paid for any lost wages due to regular-season game cancellations,” Pegula wrote in a statement. “They are part of our PSE family and even though we expect that the games will be played, we want to assure them they will be paid in the event that is not the case. We are grateful for the gestures from our players, staff and the Buffalo Sabres Foundation who have all offered to step up in a time of need.”"
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The owner of the Sabres, Buffalo Bills and Rochester Americans took some criticism when they initially had no plan to pay their employees but it’s clear they realized the gravity of the situation. Of course, part of the issue was that KeyBank Center employees are not paid by the Pegula family instead they are contracted out by Delaware North, which is owned by Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs.
While it would be easy for the Pegula family to pass the buck off or tell the workers that since the NHL isn’t cancelled they would not be compensating for games missed right now. However, these people rely on the income to pay for their daily lives.
If there is any good that has come out of a really tough situation, it’s that the people with the financial ability to help others are making the right choice to help those who need it.
What do you think about the Pegula’s decision to pay the workers? Should it have been done in the first place? Let us know in the comments below.