PHOENIX — A former Phoenix Suns employee is suing the team, alleging racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation that led to her termination, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona.
Andrea Trischan, the team's former manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, said in the lawsuit filed Wednesday that “potential financial misconduct” and sexual misconduct also took place by team employees. Trischan worked for the Suns for about 10 months from September 2022 until July 2023.
“Andrea’s case is built on substantial evidence that establishes a clear and undeniable pattern of discrimination within the Suns organization,” Trischan's lawyer Sheree Wright wrote in a statement.
ESPN and The Arizona Republic first reported on the lawsuit.
Trischan was hired in 2022 after former owner Robert Sarver was suspended and fined $10 million for “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies.” Sarver eventually sold the team to Mat Ishbia, who paid roughly $4 billion for the Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
After being fired in 2023, Trischan filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office’s civil rights division. That was dismissed on Nov. 5, according to ESPN and the Arizona Republic.
“Ms. Trischan’s case was dismissed by the Arizona Attorney General’s office earlier this week,” Suns and Mercury Senior Vice President of Communications Stacey Mitch wrote in a statement. “Her claims have been without merit from day one, and now this lawsuit, in which she is seeking $60M, is based on the same claims that were just dismissed. We are fully confident the courts will agree her story is completely fabricated.”
Wright wrote that Trischan wants to prove her case in court “rather than relying on a government entity constrained by limited resources and an overwhelming caseload.”
“Andrea remains unwavering in her pursuit of justice and is prepared to share her story and evidence with a jury,” Wright added.
Court documents allege Kim Corbitt, senior vice president of people and culture with the Suns, gave Trischan a predetermined list of individuals who would serve on the Diversity Council, including high-ranking executives, which raised concerns for Trischan “about the council’s authenticity and its ability to address meaningful change.”
Several of Trischan’s colleagues expressed concerns about certain executives who were included on the council, court documents state, including:
Jason Rowley, president and CEO
Dan Costello, executive vice president and chief revenue officer
Melissa Goldenberg, senior vice president and general counsel
Kyle Pottinger, senior vice president of ticket sales and services
Court documents also alleged that as Trischan continued to address employees’ complaints about discriminatory practices, there was a pattern of retaliation.
The court documents detail an incident in which a human resources business partner and executive, Elizabeth Mariscal, told a Black colleague “you only got this position because you’re Black.”
In another instance, court documents allege Mariscal also told a group of Black employees who were eating Chick-fil-A, “they told us no, the only reason that you guys got Chick-fil-A was because you guys are Black and it’s fried chicken.” Court documents state Trischan and another employee, Monet Newton, witnessed the incident.
Newton served as a human resources coordinator for the Suns and participated in an interview with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office alongside other witnesses as part of the investigation into Trischan’s allegations. Weeks after her interview, Newton was murdered in a murder-suicide in Glendale.
During her interview, court documents say Newton detailed a similar experience to Trischan, and expressed that “her own opportunities for promotion were limited due to her race.” She also said during her interview that when the incident regarding the Chick-fil-A comment was brought to human resources, the response was dismissive, court documents state.
Trischan alleges when she brought the Chick-fil-A comment up to Corbitt, he stated that Mariscal was “just kidding” and she should “lighten up.”
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.