Chris Sienko, who became general manager of the Connecticut Sun in 2003 and helped build the basketball team and the lacrosse team into a casino attraction at the Mohegan Sun that was owned by the tribe, will be leaving the Mohegan Sun at the end of September.
He leaves a sports organization and casino organization that are both oasis of stability. He will leave at the end of the team’s 2016 season.
He told USA Today, “I’ve been doing this for a long time,” adding, “This was a difficult decision for me. I am not leaving smiling and laughing.”
The 51-year-old Sienko will also be leaving his positions as general manager of the New England Black Wolves and a vice president of the Mohegan Sun responsible for all sponsorships of Sun-owned companies and regional marketing.
Sienko said he had a lot on his plate and didn’t have much time for himself and his family. “My days tend to be very long with all of my responsibilities. There are no summer vacations or no winter vacations, either,” he noted.
It took him a while to come to the conclusion that he could finally leave—and leave the team in a great position.
“But as the summer wore on, seeing how well-positioned the team the Sun seems for the future, this seemed like the right time. I want to have a single focus,” he said.
He added, “We understand the team has not done well lately [no playoffs since 2012 and 8-16 this season] but the team is in a really good place. We’ve lost a lot of close games this season. So I feel this is great opportunity for the team to have success as it moves forward. I wear many hats at Mohegan Sun. That’s the important thing to remember. My decision is not directly related to the Sun.”
He was named general manager of the Sun a few months after the tribe purchased the Orlando Miracle and relocated the team. Prior to that he had been general manager of the New England Blizzard.
He built the Sun into the first profitable team in the history of the WNBA.
