Tsai was at the heart of the Chinese government's move to facilitate a shipment of ventilators to New YorkNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
New York got "another huge assist" from the Nets and Owner Joe Tsai, whose family "donated 2.6 million surgical masks, 170,000 goggles and 2,000 ventilators" to the state. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the Chinese government would "facilitate a huge shipment of ventilators, which are both hard to find and much-needed in the fight against COVID-19." Tsai was "at the heart of it, along with his wife, Clara Wu Tsai"(N.Y. POST, 4/5). The Nets also worked with the Knicks and the NBA, in tandem with China Consul General Huang Ping, to "donate one million surgical masks to be distributed to New York City's essential workers." Cuomo said, "This is a big deal and it's going to make a significant difference for us." The NBA and WNBA, in addition to players and teams, have committed $50M to coronavirus-related relief (ESPN.com, 3/4).
MASKS FROM IRSAY: Colts Owner Jim Irsay has "obtained 10,000 N95 masks," which will be donated to the Indiana State Department of Health "to be distributed to hospitals where they are most urgently needed" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 4/6)....PFT’s Mike Florio noted team owners and other “people with means can contribute money, but also they can contribute expertise from the standpoint of knowing who to call, how to call, what to say, what to do, how to get everything connected to get the masks. And kudos to Jim Irsay for finding 10,000 of them.” NBCSN’s Chris Simms said owners like Irsay and the Patriots' Robert Kraft “not only have a lot of money," but "good souls too." Simms: "It’s another positive story for the NFL and ownership” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 4/6)....In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro wrote by virtue of team owners' donations, fans every day are "allowed a glimpse of how sports is lending a hand, sometimes modest, sometimes extraordinary." These are "not our greatest days," but we are "discovering something else, because it just may be our finest hour" (N.Y. POST, 4/5).
BROTHERLY LOVE: 76ers co-Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer teamed up with C Joel Embiid and donated $1.3M to Penn Medicine "to support health care workers" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/4). Penn Medicine is "establishing a COVID-19 Immunology Defense Fund" with a $1M donation from Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/4).
VEGAS AND ELSEWHERE: Raiders Owner Mark Davis and the team on Friday "stepped up for their new home, pledging" $1M to fight COVID-19 in Las Vegas (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/4)....Golden Knights Owner Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation on Friday donated $1M "to the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recover Task Force" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 4/4)....The Heat "launched a COVID-19 Resource Center at Heat.com/ResourceCenter" that includes "special offers for Heat fans and those working on the front lines of the health crisis" (MIAMI HERALD, 4/4).
