FSD 'not aware' of any employees testing positive for coronavirus

Fox Sports Detroit said none of its crew members who worked the Pistons-Jazz game on March 7 at Little Caesars Arena have shown symptoms of coronavirus, amid confirmation that a locally hired production worker for the Jazz's AT&T SportsNet broadcast has tested positive and is in a coma.

"We are aware of reports of a crew member who worked on the Utah Jazz telecast of the March 7 Pistons games at Little Caesars Arena being hospitalized," said Greg Hammaren, general manager and senior vice president for FSD, said in a statement to The Detroit News.

"Our thoughts are with this individual and the individual’s family and everyone affected by COVID-19.

The man, who is in his 50s and who's name is not being released by coworkers or FSD, is in a medically induced coma, coworkers said. A GoFundMe has been set up for the man, and has raised more than $11,000 of its original $10,000 goal. 

Many local freelancers make up the visiting broadcast crew and are paid by the home team if the visiting broadcast isn't Sinclair-affiliated, as FSD is. The Jazz TV rights are owned by AT&T SportsNet. In this case, Olympia Entertainment would've paid for the worker who currently is in a coma.

Hammaren said "several" FSD employees went into self-quarantine "out of an abundance of caution" after the March 7 game, which featured Utah's Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, and Detroit's Christian Wood.

Gobert's positive diagnosis days later led to the NBA's abrupt suspension of the season, with several major professional sports leagues quickly following suit.

Wood, who went up against Gobert in that game, later tested positive. On Thursday Wood tested negative, completing his recovery.

"We are not aware of any Fox Sports Detroit crew members or employees that have tested positive for COVID-19," Hammaren said.

More than two dozen workers — many of them freelancers — typically make up a game broadcast on FSD, which carries the Pistons, Red Wings and Tigers.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984