PayPal prepares to end Suns sponsorship unless Robert Sarver steps down
Following Robert Sarver’s suspension following an NBA investigation into his conduct as owner of sunsThe team is at risk of losing sponsorship dollars. PayPal, which has one year left on a deal as Phoenix’s Phoenix shirt patch sponsor, has announced that it will not renew the agreement if Sarver remains the owner.
“PayPal is a values-driven company with a strong track record of fighting racism, sexism and all kinds of discrimination,” the company said in a statement. “We have reviewed the NBA’s independent investigation report into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and found his behavior to be unacceptable and contrary to our values. PayPal’s sponsorship of the Suns is set to expire at the end of the current season.
“In light of the results of the NBA investigation, we will not renew our sponsorship if Robert Sarver remains involved with the Suns, after serving his investigation.”
However, PayPal has taken care to give credit to minority leadership within the Suns Corporation: Technical Director Monty Williams, General Manager James Jones, Assistant General Manager Morgan Cato, and Senior Vice President People and Culture Kim Corbett.
On Tuesday, the NBA suspended Sarver for a year and fined him $10 million after the league discovered he had engaged in inappropriate conduct as owner of the Suns and WNBA’s Mercury. Among the NBA’s findings, Sarver said the n-word at least five times, making inappropriate comments toward women and behaving physically inappropriately toward male employees.
ESPN first reported Sarver’s inappropriate behavior in November 2021, and the National Basketball Association opened its investigation shortly thereafter. However, the association said in a statement that it did not go further in its punishment because it believed Sarver’s behavior was not “motivated by racial or gender hostility.”
Despite the NBA’s suspension, many figures in the league said the penalties were not enough. LeBron JamesAnd the Chris Paul The Suns’ minority owner, Jahm Najafi, said they believe the NBA needs to punish Sarver severely.
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