Major sponsors forced Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver to sell the franchise after a September report exposed a clear pattern of racist and misogynistic behavior.
However, some within the Suns organization are beginning to ask when other Suns executives will be held accountable for the same behavior in which Sarver engaged.
Baxter Holmes of ESPN dropped a new report Monday morning that, among other things, paints an unflattering picture of Suns CEO Jason Rowley, whose name appears 52 times in the report.
The most damning passage comes late in the piece and might be missed:
In early 2020, in another incident not in the Wachtell report, Rowley and his wife were attending another concert at the Suns’ arena. Neither of them, one former employee present then said, was wearing the orange badge. At one point, Rowley’s wife was stopped by an arena employee when she entered a restricted area, two former employees said.
Rowley allegedly became incensed and yelled at the employee, “Do you know who the hell I am?” Soon after, Rowley allegedly yelled at the employee’s manager, telling him to “fix the problem,” the former employees said. Rowley’s wife allegedly stood behind him, mouthing the words, “I’m so sorry.” Soon after, Rowley allegedly emailed the manager, demanding that the arena employee be fired, the former employees said. The manager, believing he would be terminated for not following orders, consulted with other Suns executives and was instructed not to fire the employee.
Only time will tell if the NBA punishes Rowley in a similar fashion for his disgusting behavior.
[ESPN]
