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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Stars Execs Take 50-Percent Pay Cuts

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

Like every sports organization, the Dallas Stars are facing tough challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. Jim Nill and Jim Lites have decided that sacrifice starts at the top.

The Stars’ GM and CEO are taking voluntary 50-percent pay cuts to help the organization with the financial stress caused by the postponement of the remaining 2019-20 NHL season, writes The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks:

Nill said: “This situation we’re in is affecting everybody. There’s nobody going unscathed. I just think I’m fortunate enough at my age and where I’m at in my career to be able to help some other people out. First of all, Tom Gaglardi has been very supportive of me, given me all the tools I need to work with. I know that his parent company is going through a tough time. He’s in the hotel/restaurant business, and it’s been hit hard.

“So I know they’ve had to make sacrifices up there, and so can I help him out a little bit that way? And then for our organization. I know we’re making decisions on people, and by myself and Jimmy Lites making some sacrifices, does that help some other people down the food chain?”

The Jims’ voluntary compensation cuts come at a time when NHL employees have received a 25-percent pay cut across the board. Individual teams have taken individual approaches, with varying degrees of skepticism and outright backlash. But most are following the lead of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to ensure that part-timers can continue to rely on their paychecks:

Most of the teams around the league have pledged to support part-time arena workers who would have lost income without NHL and NBA games at arenas across the country. The Stars and the American Airlines Center combined to pay workers as they normally would for the seven remaining Stars home games.

Stars president Brad Alberts said a decision on the rest of the season would affect the organization’s decision on staffing.

“I think it’s important for us to understand if we’re going to finish out the 2019-20 season or if we’re not,” Alberts said. “I think those have direct implications on staffing.”

Matt has more. [SportsDayDFW]

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Talking Points