Cavaliers Star Kevin Love Commits $100K to Help Arena Staff

With the NBA screeching to a halt over the coronavirus, Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love has vowed to donate $100,000 from his foundation to help arena employees through the shutdown.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that its 2020 season has been suspended until further notice, but that unexpectedly puts thousands of arena workers out of work and losing income they otherwise would have earned.

But at least in Cleveland, the Kevin Love Foundation is preparing to step in and lend a hand, Fox 8 reported.

“Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming,” the Cav’s forward said in a post at Instagram. “Through the game of basketball, we’ve been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I’m concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling.

“I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family,” Love added.

View this post on Instagram

Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. And the fear and anxiety resulting from the recent outbreak of COVID-19 can be extremely overwhelming. Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work. I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities. Pandemics are not just a medical phenomenon. They affect individuals and society on so many levels, with stigma and xenophobia being just two aspects of the impact of a pandemic outbreak. It's important to know that those with a mental illness may be vulnerable to the effects of widespread panic and threat. Be kind to one another. Be understanding of their fears, regardless if you don't feel the same. Be safe and make informed decisions during this time. And I encourage everyone to take care of themselves and to reach out to others in need — whether that means supporting your local charities that are canceling events, or checking in on your colleagues and family.

A post shared by Kevin Love (@kevinlove) on Mar 12, 2020 at 2:36pm PDT

At least one other team has begun to think about how the shutdown might affect arena employees. Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban has also said he is looking into a way to pay arena workers during the NBA shutdown.

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