Longtime Suns Employee Resigned After Bullying, Retaliation: ESPN

PHOENIX, AZ —The front office of the Phoenix Suns is back in the news, and not for the right reasons.

While the NBA reportedly continues its investigation into the workplace conduct of majority owner Robert Sarver, a longtime employee has resigned and alleged that she became the target of bullying and retaliation by superiors after raising concerns about gender equity and misconduct within the organization, ESPN.com reported Tuesday.

Melissa Fender Panagiotakopoulos, who began working for the Suns in August 2007 and was serving as the Suns' senior premium experience manager, sent a resignation email in May to 16 members of the ownership group — including Sarver — in which she challenged them to address a toxic and misogynistic workplace culture. ESPN reportedly obtained a copy of the email.

Panagiotakopoulos did not specifically reference any issues with Sarver, or name any individual employee, ESPN reported.

In the email, Panagiotakopoulos said there were "inherent conflicts of interest with managers' ability to receive commissions, cherry pick deals, revise suite lease terms to line their own pockets, and operate in a different manner than the rest of the sales organization with no true consistent systems or oversight."

Panagiotakopoulos also alleged inequities and gender discrimination, noting that she was the only mother in the entire sales organization in the last 15 years.

"Is it because certain males are being paid more in equivalent roles?" Panagiotakopoulos asked.

Panagiotakopoulos also said there were issues with human resources, alleging that the department lacked "follow-up, ability to resolve conflict or true concern for employee well-being."

Panagiotakopoulos, ESPN reported, had attempted to share many of these concerns with HR and leadership in a November 2021 memo, but said that resulted in retaliatory behavior.

"Since that confidential interaction with senior leadership, HR and legal, there has been a consistent retaliation and bullying by my direct leadership," Panagiotakopoulos wrote in her resignation email. "Among other things, they excluded me from client dinners, scrutinized my every move, decision, and email with excruciating levels of micromanagement."

Panagiotakopoulos added: "My job has grown more intolerable and toxic than ever."

According to Panagiotakopoulos, she sent the resignation email to key stakeholders in order to "make certain this group can influence positive change."

ESPN said it had received a statement from the Suns Legacy Partners organization in response to Panagiotakopoulos' allegations.

"We have been made aware of allegations by a former employee and are investigating them, consistent with our Respect in the Workplace Policy," the Suns Legacy Partners wrote in the statement. "The Phoenix Suns are committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment free of discrimination and harassment, and we do not tolerate retaliation for the reporting of alleged misconduct."