Trail Blazers president and CEO Chris McGowan has informed the team that he’s resigning from his position, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). McGowan is also the CEO of Vulcan Sports & Entertainment, the group that oversees business operations for the Blazers and the Allen family’s other sports franchises.
A longtime sports business executive, McGowan had been in his role with the Blazers since October 2012. He’ll be replaced by Dewayne Hankins, who will be promoted to the position of president, tweets Haynes. Hankins had been the team’s chief commercial officer and executive vice president.
The Blazers have issued a press release confirming the change in upper management.
“Since joining the Trail Blazers in 2013, Dewayne has been crucial to our success and growth,” team owner Jody Allen said in a statement. “Now in his ninth season with us, we’re thrilled to have him lead the organization.”
McGowan’s resignation comes shortly after word broke that the Blazers had launched an independent investigation into the workplace conduct of president of basketball operations Neil Olshey. While the timing suggests that the two developments may be related, there has been no confirmation of that.
According to Jason Quick of The Athletic (Twitter link), McGowan was in the final year of his contract, which had been set to expire next June. McGowan told John Canzano of The Oregonian (Twitter link) he “felt like this was the time for me to make a change,” adding that he intends to pursue other opportunities.
“We are grateful for Chris’s contributions since joining the Trail Blazers nearly a decade ago,” Allen said within today’s announcement. “I appreciate his dedication to the organization and to our fans, and we wish him well in his next chapter.”
Another tree falls in the Woke Forest.
Says who?
There are higher standards for business conduct in Portland. If the org loses a few toxic people on the way, it is better for the long term future of the org.
… Or you can troll the comment section.
And it’s not like he was good at his job to begin with. Not that that should matter, but it does in the world of sports. All the more reason for him to go if bad things were unearthed about his conduct.
Side note: I find it funny when folks can’t tell the different between wokeness and actual abusive or harmful conduct. Big difference between them.
The investigation being conducted is about Neil Olshey’s conduct & NOT Chris McGowan’s conduct
Considering the timing of his resignation, it’s not out of the question to think that the investigation may have implicated him in something.
So is this about:
Fallout from the Olshey investigation?
Team failing to discuss a contract extension?
Getting out while the getting is good?
Getting a new job before **IT hits the fan?
Neil Olshey should be FIRED & should have been gone long ago.
Olshey can’t build a winning team & his 9+ years in Portland has demonstrated that fact plus his couple of seasons as the GM for the Clippers he didn’t build a winner.
Chris McGowan is a casualty of the Olshey problem & the terrible Ownership of Jody Allen.
It will be great when Paul Allen’s Estate gets done working it’s way through the probate process so his sister can sell the team & Arena.