Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has announced that stewards who work at the club’s Anfield stadium will be offering their services as the local community deals with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
With English football suspended until at least April 30, a number of individuals who work on match days at stadia may be without a source of income over the coming weeks and months.
The coronavirus outbreak has led to some chaotic scenes at supermarkets and Moore has revealed that Liverpool stewards will be on hand to manage the situation in local stores.
Moore said on Twitter: “Our stadium stewards here @LFC are offering their time and expertise in volunteering to help with crowd control, queue management, parking control, assisting the elderly and infirm taking their groceries to their cars, etc.
“They are truly the best in the business and would be delighted to help in whatever way you would deem appropriate (and safe) on your premises. Please DM me so that I can put you in contact.”
Yesterday (Sunday), fellow Premier League clubs Manchester City and Manchester United donated a combined £100,000 (€108,000/$116,000) to help food banks in Greater Manchester meet increased demand form vulnerable people during the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier today, Arsenal pledged to continue paying matchday and non-matchday casual workers on its payroll until April 30 as a reflection of the club’s gratitude to them and its desire to ease their financial concerns.
With the Premier League suspended until April 30, Arsenal said its stance would be reviewed once a further decision has been made on when the season can resume.
Meanwhile, the Jacobs family, which owns the Boston Bruins NHL ice hockey team, has established a $1.5m fund to support club and TD Garden part-time game-day associates who will suffer if games are not played.
The Bruins had been the only NHL team that had not announced plans to financially back its employees but a fund has now been put in place. The fund will support staff who will be financially burdened if the Bruins’ six remaining regular-season games are not played following the NHL’s suspension.
The NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder also announced similar plans over the weekend, with financial assistance to be provided to part-time staff working at the team’s Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Thunder will also provide financial assistance to the additional part-time arena employees who work for and are paid by ASM Global, which operates the arena. Distribution of these funds will be coordinated by ASM Global.
In other news, Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins NFL American football team, is to serve as a coronavirus testing centre.
CBSMiami reports that more than 700 first responders used the drive-through facility yesterday ahead of its opening to the general public today. Individuals will be able to get tested from 9am to 5pm on a daily basis, providing they meet certain criteria.
It will only be open to peopled aged 65 or older showing coronavirus symptoms, with ID required to get tested. Individuals will receive their results within 48 to 72 hours.
Back on this side of the Atlantic, Irish Pro14 rugby team Ulster has offered up its Kingspan Stadium home ground to the Department of Health to support its efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Posting on his Twitter account, Ulster chief executive Jonny Petrie said the stadium can be used “in any guise” – from drive-through testing to other community services.
Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the 45,000-seat Gaelic sports stadium, is among the other Irish venues to have already opened its doors for coronavirus tests.
Image: Kevin Walsh
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