Barclays Center offers sweepstakes to get staff vaccinated by September 13

Across social media and in a press release, Barclays Center has announced a “special employee sweepstakes” with prizes of up to $25,000 for those staff who choose to get vaccinated for COVID-19 by September 13. That’s the deadline that the city set earlier this month for all indoor venue guests and staff to get the jab.

Although there’s no sanction laid out for those still unvaccinated by that date, the arena has made it clear that vaccination is a condition of employment, going forward. Subtle or not, each announcement of the sweepstakes on social media and in the press release was paired with a notice that there are “positions available” at the arena.

An spokesperson for BSE Global, the parent company of Barclays Center, told NetsDaily late Monday that the arena does not yet have a sense of what percentage of the staff, both full and part-time, has already been vaccinated.

Asked specifically what will happen to those employees who choose not to be vaccinated by September 13, the spokesperson responded...

The direction from the Mayor has been clear that beginning Sept. 13, employees working at (or fans attending) Barclays Center events must receive one dose of the vaccine. We support the Mayor’s mandate.

The sweepstakes is one more enticement to those with vaccine hesitancy. The arena has set up vaccination sites nearby in the past and encouraged staff to get vaccinated. Here’s Adina Erwin, General Manager of Barclays Center...

Specifically, here’s what BSE Global is offering those who get at least one shot by September 13 or join the staff between now and December 31.

To further help encourage vaccinations against COVID-19, Barclays Center has announced a special employee sweepstakes for all non-management staff including ushers, food service workers, security, and others. Beginning Sept. 13 through Dec. 31, 2021, vaccinated employees will receive one entry into a drawing for every event shift they make themselves available to work, with a grand prize of $25,000 awarded on New Year’s Eve. In addition, vaccinated workers will be entered into weekly drawings for JetBlue airfare vouchers, smart watches and other smart devices, theme park passes, and other prizes.

The sweepstakes is open to both current employees as well as those hired and vaccinated between now and the end of the year. BSE Global is currently hiring for a variety of roles and vaccinated individuals are encouraged to apply here.

There may be another issue, writes Norman Oder, critic and chronicler of the larger Atlantic Yards project — of which Barclays Center is part. Oder notes that this is also the first time since it opened nine years ago that the arena has a hiring problem. Oder writes, it “signals that the arena—for the first time—needs workers.” That’s not surprising considering the nationwide labor shortages at other venues from restaurants to stadiums.

The NBA is permitting teams to establish their own policies based on state and city regulations. Some teams have gone beyond those regulations, however.

The Miami Heat are requiring all their staff to be vaccinated with at least one shot by September 1. The Heat has said that employees who have not met vaccination requirements by that date will not be allowed at work, and if they remain noncompliant eventually will be considered to have resigned. The Sacramento Kings set a November 1 deadline for their staff to get vaccinated. Nothing yet from Madison Square Garden, but over in Newark, at the Nets former home, the Prudential Center, “you will not need to show proof of a negative COVID test and/or vaccination to enter Prudential Center,” per arena policy.

With regard to the organization’s highest paid employees, they will be governed by NBA policies which have yet to be revealed.

• As Barclays Center—for the first time since debut—advertises significant job openings, a $25K prize for vaccinated workers - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards Report