Pizza franchise Papa John’s is pulling all NFL TV and print advertisements — worth millions of dollars in ad revenue — due to the ongoing NFL protests which he says is hurting his sales.
Papa John’s founder John Schnatter said the ongoing protests are hurting his business and he blamed the NFL’s leadership for not stopping the protests sooner.
According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Schnatter said the NFL’s protests should have been “nipped in the bud” 18 months ago.
Schnatter said his shareholders are complaining and sales are down due to “negative consumer sentiment”.
But social media users are accusing Schnatter of racism.
“The hell with @PapaJohns. He just guaranteed many of us will NEVER eat his cardboard pizza,” tweeted TV One host Roland S. Martin on Wednesday.
The hell with @PapaJohns @IAmPapaJohn. He just guaranteed many of us will NEVER eat his cardboard pizza. https://t.co/haTgbVSVs4
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 2, 2017
The NFL protests were started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick who refused to stand for the National Anthem in protest of police brutality.
Nowadays, NFL players have seemingly forgotten the original purpose of the protests.
Now they are kneeling in defiance of critical comments made by President Trump. Meanwhile, NFL ratings are down 7.5 percent overall compared to last season.
Papa John’s has deals with 23 of the NFL’s 32 teams, according to Rovell. In response to Schnatter’s criticism, the league promised him free future ad spots.
Papa Johns is blaming its weak sales on black football players. Last time Papa Johns had weak sales, it blamed a black president. Maybe Papa Johns should just blame its racist CEO.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) November 1, 2017
Is he saying he only sells pizzas during football season? John Schnatter's a racist who shld blame overpriced inferior product 4 poor sales.
— Compliance (@ComplyAnalyst) November 1, 2017
I haven't bought that racist dudes pizza since he complained the ACA would hurt his pizza joint only to find it would raise pizza prices .14
— Dan England (@Or8r) November 1, 2017
@PapaJohns needs to realize that poor sales are due to both shitty pizza & a shitty CEO with shitty racist ideas. It's a trifecta.
— Lili Ann Fuller (@zeitgeistbabe) November 1, 2017
Happy to say I have never had a Papa John's pizza….EVER! RACIST ?! Blame the black ? ?, Hated Obama, cut folks hrs & blamed ACA! Boycott!
— DoubleH (@DoubleHP) November 2, 2017
People actually kept eating that shit after he bitched that paying his employees heathcare would raise the cost of a pizza 25 cents? Really?
— Dexter McBride (@DexterMcBride) November 2, 2017
Oh no! The wealthy head of a corporation doesn't approve of a movement protesting police brutality against POC! wonder whose side I'm on…
— kelly4dayz ? (@kjxoxo) November 2, 2017
If you haven't been boycotting @PapaJohns since last year, then you're late to the game
— Alicia (@atmccoy1004) November 2, 2017
I don't think little Caesar's is complaining…
I think it's called Freedom Of Choice
Cheaper crappy pizza made by a decent human being pic.twitter.com/UUUnFLEeJf— Max_Jr (@JeanMax_Jr) November 2, 2017
