:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66818944/1215018304.jpg.0.jpg)
We’re nearly two months past when the San Francisco Giants were supposed to open the 2020 MLB season by facing the Los Angeles Dodgers. And even if the rosiest proposal comes through, we’re still a month and a half away from the season getting underway.
The coronavirus has taken the MLB season from us, and while that’s far from the biggest concern with a pandemic, the financial implications are staggering. According to a report from ESPN, Patrick Rishe, the director of the sports business program at Washington University in St. Louis has estimated that MLB is losing $75 million a day in earnings every day that the sport is on hold.
So there’s a bit of uncertainty and economic fear rippling through baseball.
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Hank Schulman reported that the Giants are guaranteeing pay through September for all of their full-time employees that are not on the baseball side. This includes roughly 350 employees, and covers roles like media relations, ticket sales, and corporate partnerships.
Schulman did not yet know if there were similar securities for baseball roles, such as minor league coaches as amateur scouts. He also reported that employees making in excess of $75,000 annually will be taking a pay cut.
The #SFGIants have told their roughly 350 full-time employees today they all will be kept on and paid at least through the end of September. All who earn $75,000 or more will take pay cuts that average 10 percent, per source. The more you make, the bigger the cut. (1/2)
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) May 19, 2020
... The full-time employees I mentioned are not on the baseball side. I'm still trying to ascertain the fate of scouts, minor-league coaches, etc... But the pay cuts do apply to the baseball side, from what I understand. #SFGiants
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) May 19, 2020
It’s unclear how this impacts part-time employees, though Schulman reported that at least some of them have been informed that they will be furloughed starting on June 1.
I was just told by a #SFGiants part-timer worker several of the are being furloughed on 6/1. Not sure how many others are include.
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) May 19, 2020
It’s also unclear what, if anything, the Giants are doing to support the roughly 1,000 part-time employees who handle game day operations, such as ticket takers, security personnel, and food vendors. The Giants — along with MLB’s 29 other teams — pledged $1 million towards those workers when the season was first suspended. However, we’ve long since passed the point where those funds would have covered the loss of games and work opportunities.