The CEO and founder of Papa John’s Pizza, the NFL’s official pizza sponsor, said the league’s handling of the controversy surrounding players kneeling for the national anthem has hurt its pizza sales.
“The NFL has hurt us by not resolving the current debacle to the players’ and owners’ satisfaction,” founder John Schnatter said during a conference call Wednesday. “NFL leadership has hurt Papa John’s shareholders.”
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The NFL has come under fire by some, including President Trump, for allowing players to take a knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality, racial inequality, and national politics.
Last month, Trump called on team owners to fire any player who kneels, and also said the league should implement a rule requiring NFL players to stand when the “Star-Spangled Banner” plays.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has endured criticism for failing to remedy the controversy over national anthem protests more quickly. Team owners and players gathered in New York City for the NFL’s Fall League Meeting last month to discuss the protests, and the team owners ultimately decided against mandating that players stand for the national anthem.
“Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership,” said Schnatter, who founded Papa John’s in 1984. Bloomberg reported that the pizza chain’s sales are likely falling because fewer people are watching the NFL, which means fewer people ordering pizza as they watch NFL games.
Papa John’s has been the NFL’s official pizza sponsor since 2010, and though the league’s ratings have declined this year, Schnatter said he believes that will change.
“This should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago,” he said of the national anthem protests. “Like many sponsors, we’re in touch with the NFL. Once the issue is resolved, we’re optimistic the NFL’s best years are ahead.”
