The Senators last night joined the other six NHL teams in Canada with plans to "compensate part-time arena staff for the shifts lost" to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Ken Warren of the OTTAWA CITIZEN. The team in a statement last night indicated it is "committed to developing a program based on the individual needs of our staff." Details of the plan were not announced. Warren notes the policy on "how to support employees differs" among the Canadian franchises. The Maple Leafs, Oilers and Canadiens "almost immediately announced plans to help out workers," and Canucks Sports & Entertainment plans to "help any part-time employee requiring help." The Flames and Jets "originally said they would not do so, but later reversed those decisions, partly due to public criticism." Flames President & CEO John Bean in a release said, "We may not get everything right, out of the gate, but we can assure you that we will continue to work hard to do what is right" (OTTAWA CITIZEN, 3/17). While the other six Canadian teams "laid out plans of varying degrees and scope" in recent days, the Senators "remained silent on an issue that garnered significant social media interest over the weekend" (CP, 3/16).
FLAMES TURNED UP TO HIGH: In Calgary, Hudes & Gilbertson noted the Flames "reversed course" on their initial policy following "intense public pressure." The club at first "informed part-time staff they would not be compensated for shifts cancelled with more than 24 hours notice." The Flames were "widely criticized for that stance, with #ShameTheFlames trending Saturday on Twitter" (CALGARY HERALD, 3/16). THE ATHLETIC's Scott Cruickshank wrote, "Seldom have the optics been worse. Billionaire owners refusing to compensate hourly employees in a time of crisis? That's a tough sell." The "subsequent pounding" included everything from "vicious mocking of ownership to promises of season-ticket cancellations to petitions to sincere regret for having handed the Flames taxpayer money for a new building" (THEATHLETIC.com, 3/15).
DAMAGE ALREADY DONE TO JETS? In Winnipeg, Mike McIntyre wrote it is "never too late to do the right thing, but you wonder if the damage done by True North Sports and Entertainment's tone-deaf decision to hang its lowest-paid workers out to dry over the coronavirus shutdown will come back to bite the company." If that happens, True North has "nobody to blame but itself" for "socially distancing itself from a loyal fan base." The Jets took a "well-deserved public flogging for 72 hours" after their prior stance, with much of it "aimed at wealthy co-owners David Thomson and Mark Chipman." McIntyre: "Turns out a little public shaming can go a long way. ... This was a massive PR blunder by those on the corporate side (separate from the team PR) that looked worse with seemingly every passing hour" (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, 3/16). Also in Winnipeg, Paul Friesen wrote under the header, "Jets Finally End Self-Inflicted PR Nightmare." The reversal caps a "dreadful three days for the Jets ownership, a public relations nightmare that will linger around this organization like a bad smell for a long time" (WINNIPEG SUN, 3/17).
HABS DO THE RIGHT THING: In Montreal, Brendan Kelly notes Canadiens President Geoff Molson deserves "full credit for announcing on Sunday that the team’s 1,200 game-day employees will be compensated for the games not being played" by the Canadiens and the AHL Laval Rocket, as it was the "right thing to do." Kelly: "Just imagine how it would’ve looked if the Canadiens hadn’t done that? This, after all, is a team that has been millions under the NHL salary cap for three straight seasons, so it probably has the necessary cash available" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 3/17).
