During a 3Q earnings call, Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter blamed “NFL leadership” for the “current debacle” between players and owners.
Chris Otts reporters that Schnatter went on to say “Good or bad, leadership starts at the top and this is an example of poor leadership,” going on to say “this should have been nipped in the bud a year and a half ago.”
.@papajohn‘s stock currently down 6.3% today. Company lowered expectations for earnings, sales growth: pic.twitter.com/nuZFZ08H6K
— Chris Otts (@christopherotts) November 1, 2017
The companies stock is down 6.3%. Both NFL and Papa John’s reportedly expected increased viewership and ratings. Schnatter says NFL ratings went down because of the presidential election and again this season because of “the controversy.”
Papa John’s is one of the league’s most known TV advertisers, company executives said on Wednesday’s call.
“The (NFL) controversy is polarizing the customer, polarizing the country,” @papajohns CEO Schnatter said on conference call.
— Chris Otts (@christopherotts) November 1, 2017
ESPN’s Jemele Hill took to Twitter saying “Racial injustice couldn’t be ended as easily as adding an extra topping and a side of ranch.”