The Dallas Mavericks were at the center of a Sports Illustrated investigation into their alleged corporate culture of that included an “Animal House” atmosphere, including sexual harassment.
The blowback from the report and subsequent investigations was severe, with former Mavericks CEO Terdema Ussery and former Mavs.com reporter Earl K. Sneed at the center of the story in Dallas.
Now a report from the Dallas Morning News says another employee was known for creating a hostile work environment in the ticketing office. That employee, Chris Hyde, was a senior account executive in charge of selling tickets for the team. According to the report from the Morning News, Hyde continually showed explicit photos to co-workers, rubbed himself while at work, and did so even after being warned to stop by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
Via Dallas Morning News:
His co-workers called him “Pants DJ.” He would sit at his desk in the Dallas Mavericks ticket sales office, stare at pornographic images on his cellphone or computer and rub himself below his belt line.
He’d often call co-workers over to show them pictures on his phone that he’d taken of women in lingerie, topless or naked. He once dropped a used condom onto the office floor.
This pattern of behavior, described by seven current and former Mavericks employees who spoke to The Dallas Morning News on the condition of anonymity, continued for six years despite a warning from owner Mark Cuban that he stop viewing pornography on his office computer.
Hyde worked for the Mavericks for 15 years, leaving the team in 2014. According to the Morning News sources, Hyde was not let go for his workplace behavior, and apparently was one the team’s top salesmen.
Read the full report in detail, as it gives even more insight into what has allegedly been going on inside the Mavericks organization for some time.
Cuban has said that he is open to any kind of cooperation he and the team need to have as an investigation into their corporate culture is ongoing. Meanwhile, Dallas has hired several HR executives as a means to turn things around in the front office.