For Immediate Release: April 1, 2020

CYCLONES ANNOUNCE JERSEY AUCTION TO BENEFIT ECHL COVID-19 RELIEF FUND

ECHL Announces League-Wide Player Relief Initiative 

Cincinnati, OH- The Cincinnati Cyclones have announced the details for their annual end-of-season jersey auction. This year’s Cyclones warm-up jerseys will be auctioned off through the Handbid App, and the proceeds from the auction will benefit players who are facing financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 health crisis. Fans who purchase a jersey will receive a personalized video from their player thanking them for supporting the players during this difficult time.

The jersey auction is currently up and running, and will end on Monday, April 6, at 8:00pm. Winning bids are tax deductible, and jerseys will be shipped directly to winners’ homes at a to-be-determined date. 

“The finality of the season was shocking to us all, and while understandable, it certainly left some players in a financial bind,” remarked Cyclones Vice President and General Manager Kristin Ropp. “The Cyclones organization is happy to contribute to the Player’s Relief Fund.” 

Earlier today, the ECHL along with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA), announced the creation of the ECHL-PHPA COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist ECHL players and their families suffering a financial hardship following the sudden and unexpected cancellation of the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The ECHL cancelled the 2019-20 season, effective Monday, March 16, 2020, whereby over 600 players were advised to return to their home territory, many of them losing the opportunity to earn additional salary and playoff bonuses. All players and their families will receive health insurance through June 30, however, the unplanned cancellation of the season will affect certain players harder than others during these uncertain times. The ECHL-PHPA COVID-19 Relief Fund will be administered by directors from both organizations to ensure funds are disbursed to Players accordingly. 

“The relief fund that has been created to help aid the ECHL players through this tough time is amazing, and we, the players, cannot thank the players union and certain organizations enough for starting this off,” commented Cyclones captain Justin Vaive. “I would also like to thank the Cyclones for allowing the sale of these team jerseys to go towards their contribution into the players relief fund. Every dollar donated or spent is going towards the repayment of lost wages to all players around the league. Thanks again to everyone who has been working tirelessly over this.” 

More information on the Handbid App can be found HERE! Additionally, anyone wishing to contribute to the ECHL-PHPA COVID-19 Relief Fund may do so through the following campaign platform: https://www.echl.com/covid19relieffund

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2019-20 Cincinnati Cyclones season has come to a close. We want to thank you for your support this season, as well as for your support through this difficult time for all of us. We invite you to stay up-to-date on all the latest team updates and information through our website, www.cycloneshockey.com, as well as on Facebook, and Twitter and Instagram (@CincyCyclones). We are looking forward to a prosperous and successful 2020-21 season, and plan to pick up right where we left off starting on the weekend of October 16-17 for First Face-off!