Major League Baseball announced Tuesday the creation of a $1 million fund to support workers affected by canceled preseason games, both in the Grapefruit League (Florida) and the Cactus League (Arizona).
This initial fund will be distributed to individuals, through teams, based on financial need and will be available for temporary and part-time workers. Recipients include food vendors, grounds maintenance, security, clubhouse and general stadium employees.
An additional fund will be created by MLB and its teams for temporary and part-time workers affected by canceled regular-season games. Details of the second fund will be disclosed later.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred issued the following statement:
“We know that our sport faces a challenging time, as we work towards the goal of reaching a new collective agreement. Unfortunately, the people who make Spring Training a first-class experience for our fans have been affected, through no fault of their own. As an institution, Major League Baseball and its Clubs remain committed to supporting our most vulnerable personnel. We hope this fund will alleviate some of the financial concerns you have due to missing games this spring from the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues.”
