Papa John's Will No Longer Be An Official Sponsor Of The NFL
NEW YORK (AP) — Papa John's is ending its recently stormy role as an official sponsor of the NFL.
Officials at the pizza chain said Tuesday that the two sides agreed to end the relationship, which became strained last year when its founder John Schnatter criticized NFL leadership over national anthem protests by players.
JUST IN: Less than 14 hours after Papa John's signs off as the official pizza of the NFL, @pizzahut swoops in. Papa John's deal was set to go until 2020. Pizza Hut now has deal through 2021 season. pic.twitter.com/ioVqZgJly9
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 28, 2018
But the company based in Louisville, Kentucky, is not divorcing itself from the league altogether. It says instead it will focus its football marketing efforts on 22 of the league's 32 teams and its star players.
Schnatter blamed slowing sales growth at Papa John's on the outcry surrounding football players kneeling during the national anthem. The company later apologized for the remarks and Schnatter stepped down as CEO at the end of last year.
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