SBJ Unpacks: Coronavirus -- Texans Hunting For Dedicated Hygiene Chief

I can track the coronavirus pandemic’s unofficial arrival in the U.S. by my daughter’s growth. Vivie was born March 15 and will be two months old in just more than a week. It’s remarkable how the outbreak has warped time to feel fast-forwarded on some occasions and slow as a sloth during others. But I can always look at my chunky, now 11-pound daughter and have an indicator of the pandemic’s progression that at least makes me smile.

Just as our families continue adjusting to this new life, the sports world continues doing the same. The NFL today scrapped its 2020 international games in Mexico and London, while WorldTeam Tennis announced it will play its season in one location, instead of in the nine cities spread throughout the country. The NHL is busily whittling its list of isolation bubble cities from roughly a dozen down to four, bringing it closer to resuming play. And ESPN has sealed a deal with the Korean Baseball League to give the network some form of live sports content while American properties figure out their next moves.

An ESPN poll released today revealed 76% of respondents supported the return of sports without fans, as long as the participants were quarantined and closely monitored. Count Vivie and me in that group. We’re tired of "Top Chef" reruns.

Stay safe everyone.

--- Bret McCormick

TEXANS SEEK FACILITY HYGIENE COORDINATOR

• The Texans are searching for a new employee: A facility hygiene coordinator to run coronavirus risk mitigation throughout the team’s workplaces, SBJ’s Ben Fischer reports. Giving those duties to a new, dedicated staffer ensures it will remain a long-term priority, said Exec VP/Football Operations Jack Easterby, who described the ideal candidate as someone who will “wake up each morning and go to bed each night thinking about the cleanliness of the facility.”
  
  
• The new hire will report to Geoff Kaplan, coordinator of medical administration, but it’s more of an operations management job than a medical position, Easterby said. The hygiene coordinator will be expected to swiftly implement new virus-protection protocols likely to come from the NFL or public health bodies as sports re-start. Those might include installation of new infrastructure, like touchless doors and sinks, or rules for social distancing in crowded areas, or ensuring supplies of necessary cleaning products or equipment, or educating staff. The person will also oversee Aramark, the Texans’ commercial janitorial contractor.
  
  
• Because the Texans are a tenant in the Harris County-owned NRG Stadium, which is managed by ASM Global, the eventual hire will have less authority over the stadium than Texans-owned offices and practice facilities. But he or she will be contribute to decisions made by the stadium partners, Easterby said. This is the first known case of a major U.S. pro sports team hiring a dedicated industrial hygiene expert, though the NBA has asked clubs to appoint a point person among existing staff, as SBJ’s John Lombardo reported today.

DON GARBER: CRISIS HAS ABILITY TO "BRING OUT BEST IN PEOPLE"

• MLS Commissioner Don Garber will be paying close attention if and when the Bundesliga resumes play, citing his "close relationship" with the league's CEO, Christian Seifert. Garber told FS1’s Rob Stone on the “Fox Indoor Soccer” program, "Christian’s a bright guy. It’s just different there. Their government is so closely associated with the league itself. It’s almost like the league is an NGO. It’s so connected. … They have plans to get back to play without fans. Those are still coming into play. I hope that they’re successful so we can probably learn from some of the challenges that I’m sure they’re going to go through.”
  
  

• Garber is connecting with all of the league’s heads of clubs on weekly Zoom calls to determine how they can “effectively return to play” as soon as possible. Garber also said that “financial issues and challenges” are still top of mind two weeks after the league floated a preliminary proposal for player salary reductions. 
  
  
• Garber said he’s proud of players staying involved with charitable efforts over the past couple months in their respective cities. “Guys are out there doing as much as they can via social media, some of them are able to get out of their homes and able to do more active things. … These are obviously unprecedented times and crisis I believe brings out the best in people, and at times perhaps it can bring out the worst in people. I like to sort of tap into all the great qualities that we have in our players who have always been connected in their community … Our whole purpose has been sort of this league that wants to be engaged with our fans.”

JAGUARS TO OFFER REFUNDS ON SEASON TICKETS, DEFERRED PAYMENTS

• The Jaguars announced today they will give full refunds to any season-ticket holder who asks before the start of the 2020 season, part of a series of adjustments amid the pandemic-caused economic strife. Also, the Jags are selling a 2-year plan that would defer 40% of the cost of 2020 tickets until next year if you buy seats for 2021 as well.
  
  
• Historically, the Jags have had a no-refunds policy, but that was re-evaluated in light of the escalating unemployment and uncertainty about the duration of the crisis, reports SBJ's Ben Fischer. “You could buy our tickets now, but there’s still a bit of uneasiness of what’s in the future, so we’re going to allow you to cancel that transaction if needed before the start of the season,” said Chad Johnson, VP/Sales & Service. The 2-year plan is designed with small- and medium-sized businesses in mind, Johnson said, people who face an extended runway back to normalcy but for whom Jaguars tickets are an important part of their business toolkit.
  
  
• Also, the Jaguars have officially extended the deadline for renewals (to June 5) and the next payment deadline has been pushed back to June 20. The prior deadlines had already been pushed once to late April. Last month, Johnson said the Jags’ top priority during the pandemic -- more than cash flow -- has been preventing the outright cancellations of tickets. "The ultimate success in this season is maintaining our ticket base. That’s the driving factor in everything we did.” The NFL has promised fans their tickets refunds or credits for canceled games, but otherwise has let teams set their own terms this offseason.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS FEELING STRAIN AT GRASSROOTS LEVEL

• Like the rest of the sports world, the Special Olympics has been feeling the financial squeeze of continued COVID-19 lockdowns, reports SBJ's Chris Smith. The organization has a massive global presence, with five million athletes and 100,000 annual events across 172 countries, and it’s been especially pressured at the grassroots level. “Our livelihood happens on the ground in communities all throughout the world,” said Kelli Seely, Special Olympics Chief Marketing, Development & Communications Officer. Seely said that the vast majority, if not the entirety, of local organizations in the U.S. have applied for PPP loans, with some already receiving assistance. Such government support isn’t always available elsewhere in the world, though. “A lot of international programs, especially in Latin America and Africa, have been really hard hit and have required layoffs,” Seely said.
  
  
• At the organizational level, there’s also been a slowdown in philanthropic revenue from increasingly cost-conscious donors. “At an international level, we rely a bit more on corporations and individual donors and foundations,” said Seely. “We’re certainly affected due to the fact that corporations and individuals are watching their money, and rightfully so, very carefully right now.” One avenue of continued support has been partnerships with other sports organizations. Longtime partner WWE recently joined the Special Olympics in launching School of Strength, an at-home workout platform featuring WWE star Becky Lynch, and just last week, a new partnership with the WTA saw tennis players celebrate International Dance Day on social media to raise money for Special Olympics programming.
  
  
• These partnerships typically involve a financial commitment as well as programming support, the latter of which helps the Special Olympics broaden its engagement. “Their reach to their fans and their customers with a message of inclusion and diversity not only builds up a potential donor base for us,” said Seely. “But it also builds up general engagement, bringing like-minded people together. That is just as important, if not more important, than the financial commitment.”
  
  
• The Special Olympics is also in the second year of a five-year fundraising program, The Revolution is Inclusion, which aims to raise $100 million and engage 100 million new people. Seely says the organization is already about two-thirds of the way to hitting the fundraising goal, and it’s so far engaged with around 50 million new individuals. 
  
  

ESPN SURVEY: FANS WANT SPORTS BACK EVEN IF THEY CANNOT ATTEND

• A majority of sports fans surveyed by ESPN said that they are "in favor of watching televised sports without fans rather than waiting for sports to resume only when fans can be in attendance."
  
  
• The ESPN Coronavirus Lockdown Fan Study surveyed 1,004 sports fans aged 18 or older, and 65% were "in favor of sports returning even if fans can't be in the stands." That approval number "grew to 76% when participants were asked if they support the return of sports without fans in the stands if players were kept in hotels and their contact with others was closely monitored." Whenever sports do return, 88% of study participants who consider themselves avid sports fans said that they "plan to watch as much sports as they can" 

HBSE PRESIDENT DRAWS ON HIS EXPERIENCE AROUND HURRICANE KATRINA

• As president of the then-Hornets during Hurricane Katrina, Hugh Weber led the franchise through a period of such utter devastation, it necessitated the temporary relocation of the team for two seasons to Oklahoma City. It was days before Weber heard from some of his employees, and nights when some weren’t sure where they’d lay their heads.
  
  
• Now president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Weber spoke to Bill King about his experiences in New Orleans, and explained how he’s relying on them now, on the latest episode of the SBJ Unpacks podcast.
  
  
• “On first glance, you’d say: This is a worldwide pandemic and that was a flood. How could they be the same?” Weber said in an interview that drew several parallels between the two crises. “Well, right now, we’re homebound. Our jobs and lives have changed dramatically. But we’re thinking of it through the lens of our community. And in that way, it’s very similar.”  

WORKING FROM HOME WITH GOLDEN KNIGHTS CMO BRIAN KILLINGSWORTH

• Golden Knights CMO Brian Killingsworth generally receives a 6:00am wake-up call from his 16-month-old son Knox, which also wakes up his two other boys Cruz (10) and Finn (6). At that point, the family is up and running. Killingsworth starts his workday at 9:00am on a Microsoft Teams call with other team leaders from his bedroom-turned-office and makes sure to check in with Golden Knights President Kerry Bubolz, VP/Ticketing Todd Pollock and Chief Sales Officer Jim Frevola throughout the day. “This virtual environment has allowed for more transparency in regards to the human element and seeing families and pets of those we interact with and seeing deeper into the whole person, not just the business professional,” he said.
  
  
• The Golden Knights are focusing on social media and community aid to stay engaged with supporters during the shutdown. The team’s VGK Fit Challenge offered daily workouts demonstrated by broadcasters and in-arena hosts, while the VGK Book Club encouraged fans to read books outlining the greatest stories in sports. “Our fans are craving the communal aspect of being a Golden Knights fan and we want to use our platforms to entertain and interact even more now during this pause,” Killingsworth said.
  
  
• Killingsworth has enjoyed participating in bi-weekly sports industry CMO Zoom chats put on by Nolan Partners. “It has given CMOs in the sports industry the chance to strategize and share ideas for dealing with COVID-19 and the path to getting back,” he said. “Also, this pause has given us the chance to take a deeper look at some new technology-based fan experience initiatives we have been considering.”
  
  
• Killingsworth stays active with lunchtime Kaizen Crossfit workouts outdoors and some form of backyard hockey, baseball, basketball or football with his boys in the evening. “I miss going to the gym but have found really creative ways to try to maintain some level of fitness,” he said. “The plus side has been, if I have an open window in my schedule, I can go ahead and help one of the boys with their schoolwork, or change a diaper, where usually I would be at the office. I’m really trying to find ways to make this time as productive and enjoyable as possible.”

• Want to share what your work-from-home setup is like? Reach out to SBJ's David Rumsey.

Killingsworth makes a point to find time to play various sports with his three boys in the evenings

SPEED READS

• ESPN will bring live baseball back on Tuesday with Opening Day of the Korea Baseball Organization. Baseball Prospectus' Patrick Dubuque has a fun write-up on what viewers can expect in terms of strategy and style of play. "The 'new' KBO feels like the 'old' MLB, if by old you're willing to travel back thirty years or so to the slap-hitting, pinch-hitting, pre-McGwire 1980s. ... Higher batting average, fewer strikeouts, more balls in play: the KBO is a panacea for the baseball purists who have grown tired of the three true outcomes."
  
  
• The N.Y. Post's Larry Brooks makes the case for the structure of next month's NHL Draft to be "tied to the structure the league adopts for the continuation of the season." Brooks: "The league should recognize that in developing its plan for summer hockey. It seems to me that the best plan is the one that incorporates and energizes as many markets as possible. If the idea is to recoup as much revenue as possible, it should also be to generate as much interest as possible."
  
  
• Sports construction giant AECOM was awarded more than $200 million in contracts by U.S. federal and state government agencies to design and manage projects related to the construction of emergency triage hospitals on the East Coast, per SBJ's Karn Dhingra. Among the projects completed was the conversion of the USTA’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center into a 450-bed facility, which began taking patients on April 10.

NEWS YOU NEED FROM SPORTS BUSINESS DAILY

• During this crisis impacting the sports business, we want everyone to be up-to-date on the latest news and information. SBD's "Coronavirus & Sports" section is free, outside the paywall, for the foreseeable future. Below are today's headlines:
  
  
  • NFL Schedule Release Will Not Include London, Mexico City Games
  • Some In NBA Circles Worried About Older Coaches, Staff In Restart Plans
  • Some MLBers Concerned About Various Side Effects Of Restart Plans
  • NHL Moves Focus Back To Four-Arena Plan After Short Deviation
  • MGM Resorts Talks To Leagues About Hosting Teams On Vegas Strip
  • NASCAR Wields Responsibility As First Major U.S. Sport Set To Return
  • USTA Official Says Moving U.S. Open To Indian Wells A Possibility
  • Oscar De La Hoya Making Plans For Boxing's Eventual Return
  • Sources: MLB Rangers Instituting Pay Cuts For Half Of Staff
  • Celtics' Steve Pagliuca Helping Lead Fight Against COVID-19

SBJ UNPACKS -- WEATHERING COVID-19

• Check out the most recent editions of our "SBJ Unpacks" podcasts around COVID-19:
  
  
  • Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment's Hugh Weber on his experiences leading the Hornets through crisis during, and following, Hurricane Katrina.
  • PBR CEO Sean Gleason discusses how the circuit held its first event this past weekend since the COVID-19 shutdown began.
  • SBJ's Bill King & Mark Burns talk about a path back from this pandemic with a new normal for the sports industry and the potential for fanless games.
  • How are brands navigating the pandemic? What awaits on the other side? Ed Horne, president of creative firm 160over90, shares his thoughts.
  • Kathy Lupia, a leading security and emergency preparedness consultant, discusses ways venues will have to change their procedures after the pandemic.
  • Ben Fischer and John Ourand recap the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

THE GRAND FINALE! PART 4 OF CAA WORLD CONGRESS COMES TO YOU ON MAY 6

• We’ll have interviews with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, Fanatics Executive Chair Michael Rubin, NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts, Activation Blizzard Chief Executive Pete Vlastelica, Sports Medicine Research President Dr. Daniel Eichner and top execs from Learfield IMG College, the NHL, CAA Sports and Luker on Trends.
• There’s also a new time for the finale. Our program starts at 1:45pm ET and ends with a happy hour via Zoom from 4:00-5:00pm. Go to www.WorldCongressOfSports.com to register and gain on-demand access to dozens of interviews and sessions from the previous three World Congress episodes.

Something related to coronavirus and sports business catch your eye? Tell us about it. Reach out to Austin Karp (akarp@sportsbusinessjournal.com) and we'll share the best of it.