Highlanders' staff take 30% pay cut to ease financial pressure during COVID-19

The Highlanders are the first Super Rugby side forced into cutting staff pay, as the global sport continues to reel from the effects of coronavirus.

With the five New Zealand Super Rugby sides largely reliant on money from television rights, the competition's suspension last month has seen the five Kiwi teams handed a NZ$250,000 emergency grant from New Zealand Rugby.

TVNZ reports that the Highlanders staff has accepted a 30 percent pay cut to ease the financial pressure but no staff members have lost their jobs.

Speaking to the Otago Daily Times, Highlanders CEO Roger Clark said they are like any other business and when revenue dries up you have to find money pretty quickly.

The Highlanders have also applied for the New Zealand Government's wage subsidy scheme.

[Source: TVNZ]

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