DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN/AP) - Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he was stunned when the news came down that the NBA was suspending the remainder of the season due to the coronavirus outbreak, adding that “this is much bigger than basketball."
“This is a global pandemic where people’s lives are at stake," Cuban said. “I’m a lot more worried about my kids, and my mom is 82 years old, and talking to her, and telling her to stay in the house, than I am about when we play our next game."
Now, Cuban says he's looking for ways to take care of hourly workers at American Airlines Center after learning the NBA is suspending the rest of the schedule because of coronavirus fears.
Afterward the Mavs-Nuggets game, Cuban told reporters he understands the league's reasoning and hopes at least some of the games can be made up if the scare diminishes.
He also says he recognizes cancelling the games will work a financial hardship on the many American Airlines workers who will lose income.
Cuban says the team is working on ways to keep paying them, at least in part, saying they may ask the workers to do some community service in return.