Papa John's Stadium?

[noletaire]

Will Louisville be changing the name of its stadium? saw this on Yahoo (please excuse if posting this link is a violation of war chant protocol). This would be one problem in completely commercializing the name of your stadium.... among other things.
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/papa-johns-chairman-john-schnatter-032152505.html

 

[tigity]

Whackos gonna act whack

 

[cgj0198]

Nope, he owns the naming rights until 2041.

 

[montconole]

Change the name, give back his money.

 

[kingpin_22]

Don't go to the games, they'll figure something out lol

 

[ReliableOstrich]

One would hope UL isn’t totally stupid and included a clause in the naming contract to be able to terminate the relationship if either party does something stupid that results in a significant hit to brand or reputation.

This would be like naming your stadium Food Lion Field or Jack in the Box Colisseum only to find out a year later that they’re serving rotten food and have turned into a national punchline. Surely there’s an out in that scenario.

 

[Calif_Nole]

It's not John Schnatter Stadium so they should be fine.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

It's not John Schnatter Stadium so they should be fine.

That dude is (at least in the public awareness) considered to be "Papa John", so regardless of any reality (I have no idea if he's really the "Papa") when Schnatter does something stupid, it harms the PJ brand.

Evidence: the like 30 FB / Twitter posts I've seen online this morning saying something to the effect of "don't eat at PJs, that guy is wacko."

 

[InjunJoe]

It's not John Schnatter Stadium so they should be fine.

I agree 100%. John Schnatter used the n-word, not the corporation. It would be a different matter if he was the CEO and face of the company. That is no longer the case. Since the proactive amputation has already occurred, why should UL terminate a contract even if there was cause at one point in time. That time has past. In fact, this would be a great time for UL to double down and get Papa John's to pony up more for naming rights.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I agree 100%. John Schnatter used the n-word, not the corporation. It would be a different matter if he was the CEO and face of the company. That is no longer the case. Since the proactive amputation has already occurred, why should UL terminate a contract even if there was cause at one point in time. That time has past. In fact, this would be a great time for UL to double down and get Papa John's to pony up more for naming rights.

Schnatter was the Chairman of the Board at Papa John's until a couple days ago when he acknowledged making the idiotic statements.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/10/pap...tter-resigns-as-chairman-of-company-boar.html

That combined with his presence in many of their commercials means it's not unreasonable for the average consumer to consider him to be the face of the company.

If I'm UL even a second-degree connection w/ a potential racist is a bad look, I'd be reviewing legal docs to see if this is something they can exit stage right. MLB has wisely done so already.

Papa John's founder John Schnatter has resigned as chairman of the board after admitting and apologizing for using the N-word during a May conference call.

News of Schnatter's resignation came shortly after Major League Baseball indefinitely suspended its Papa Slam promotion — a campaign that both sides have collaborated on since 2016.

 

[Calif_Nole]

That dude is (at least in the public awareness) considered to be "Papa John", so regardless of any reality (I have no idea if he's really the "Papa") when Schnatter does something stupid, it harms the PJ brand.

Evidence: the like 30 FB / Twitter posts I've seen online this morning saying something to the effect of "don't eat at PJs, that guy is wacko."

True enough but as far as the stadium naming rights, its for the corporation not the now former CEO and if UL was foolish enough to attempt to terminate their relationship the corporation would present that fact in the resulting lawsuit and also point out they swiftly terminated JS. The legal fight and resulting whoha would make it much worse and I'll bet PJP gets another spokesperson out in the public asap. The brand will take a short term hit but who remembers today what a complete racist Col. Sanders was?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

who remembers today what a complete racist Col. Sanders was?

Probably no one until Schnatter brought that up again.

For real though, MLB already separated themselves from Papa Johns and considering $PZZA is about 40% off its 1 year high (unrelated to Schnatter's mistake), they might want to be released from this financial burden also.

https://yhoo.it/2L6qIGH

 

[Calif_Nole]

Probably no one until Schnatter brought that up again.

For real though, MLB already separated themselves from Papa Johns and considering $PZZA is about 40% off its 1 year high (unrelated to Schnatter's mistake), they might want to be released from this financial burden also.

Ah but MLB has numerous options and likely dozens of corporations lining up to take up that slack. Who is gonna be UL's new sugardaddy? I don't think they're in a position financially to scrap that relationship.

 

[NoleNewsIsGoodNews]

You can't hold a Whole Pizza Company responsible for the behavior of one sick twisted individual.For if you do shouldn't we blame the Whole Restaurant System?And if the Whole Restaurant System is guilty isn't this an indictment of our Capitalistic Society in general? I put it to you Opie isn't this an indictment of our American Society? Well you can think what you want but I'm not going to sit here and watch you bad mouth The United States of America!!

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Ah but MLB has numerous options and likely dozens of corporations lining up to take up that slack. Who is gonna be UL's new sugardaddy? I don't think they're in a position financially to scrap that relationship.

I guess that's the decision they'll have to make, be associated with a racist or potentially see a decline in naming rights revenue.

People to tend to have short memories, so I suspect UL will hope this washes over quickly. In the event anyone is every battling for a recruit against these fools, this would be an interesting piece of info to remind recruits about.

 

[LesClaypool]

You can't hold a Whole Pizza Company responsible for the behavior of one sick twisted individual.For if you do shouldn't we blame the Whole Restaurant System?And if the Whole Restaurant System is guilty isn't this an indictment of our Capitalistic Society in general? I put it to you Opie isn't this an indictment of our American Society? Well you can think what you want but I'm not going to sit here and watch you bad mouth The United States of America!!

Their stock was down 5.9% yesterday (I believe) on this news.

Clearly you CAN hold one moron responsible for a whole company.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Their stock was down 5.9% yesterday (I believe) on this news.

Clearly you CAN hold one moron responsible for a whole company.

Popped back up 5.2% once he announced his resignation as Chairman.

Further proof that one moron's departure can benefit an entire company.

 

[GoNolesTX]

Is it time for Yum! KFC Cardinal Stadium?

 

[F4Gary]

Cue the faux outrage.

 

[ericram]

All I know is their pizza has been crap for the last few years.

 

[KitingHigh]

Does it not bother anyone that he didn't actually make a racist statement at all? Rumor is this was brought to the public as retaliation from a spurned marketing exec.

 

[Elementalism]

He has the naming rights lol. Papa Johns the corporation has the sponsorship rights.

http://kycir.org/2017/05/18/the-details-on-that-papa-johns-cardinal-stadium-deal/

 

[OrlandNole]

During the conference call, Schnatter was asked how he would distance himself from racist groups online. Forbes reported that in his response, Schnatter questioned why he was facing the wrath of society for taking a stance that all NFL players should stand for the anthem, and he downplayed the significance of those comments. It was then that he claimed Colonel Sanders, who founded Kentucky Fried Chicken, used the N-word in the past and did not face public backlash.

Schnatter said the actual word on the call, ESPN confirmed.

It's not clear that Sanders ever used racist language. In Josh Ozersky's biography of Sanders, "Colonel Sanders and the American Dream," he wrote that while Sanders referred to African-Americans as "Negros," he "seems to have been utterly without racial prejudice."

 

[seminoledq]

They should rename it to Rick Pitino Stadium and call it a day.

 

[DFSNOLE]

You can't hold a Whole Pizza Company responsible for the behavior of one sick twisted individual.For if you do shouldn't we blame the Whole Restaurant System?And if the Whole Restaurant System is guilty isn't this an indictment of our Capitalistic Society in general? I put it to you Opie isn't this an indictment of our American Society? Well you can think what you want but I'm not going to sit here and watch you bad mouth The United States of America!!

Quality reference.

 

[seminole97]

 

[jim65]

You can't hold a Whole Pizza Company responsible for the behavior of one sick twisted individual.For if you do shouldn't we blame the Whole Restaurant System?And if the Whole Restaurant System is guilty isn't this an indictment of our Capitalistic Society in general? I put it to you Opie isn't this an indictment of our American Society? Well you can think what you want but I'm not going to sit here and watch you bad mouth The United States of America!!

some folks have no clue what you are talking about, but there are a few that do

 

[cgj0198]

All I know is their pizza has been crap for the last few years.

He wanted to make their pizza great again.

 

[totallynot321Nole]

some folks have no clue what you are talking about, but there are a few that do

The Germans who bombed Pearl Harbor?

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

The brand will take a short term hit but who remembers today what a complete racist Col. Sanders was?

Oh, I hated the Colonel with his wee beady eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!

 

[Nole Daddy]

You can't hold a Whole Pizza Company responsible for the behavior of one sick twisted individual.For if you do shouldn't we blame the Whole Restaurant System?And if the Whole Restaurant System is guilty isn't this an indictment of our Capitalistic Society in general? I put it to you Opie isn't this an indictment of our American Society? Well you can think what you want but I'm not going to sit here and watch you bad mouth The United States of America!!

Gentlemen

 

[FSUATT]

All I know is their pizza has been crap for the last few years.

Yes, I had it at a friend's house recently and was thinking I have had frozen pizza that was as good as PJ's.

 

[ericram]

Yes, I had it at a friend's house recently and was thinking I have had frozen pizza that was as good as PJ's.

I hear frozen pizzas are da bomb. Or so I am told.

 

[BelemNole]

On the May call, Schnatter reportedly said the N-word while complaining that a legendary fast-food chain founder had used the word in the past without being subjected to public backlash. He also reflected on his childhood in Indiana, saying people used to drag African-Americans from trucks until they died, according to Forbes.

 

[ericram]

On the May call, Schnatter reportedly said the N-word while complaining that a legendary fast-food chain founder had used the word in the past without being subjected to public backlash. He also reflected on his childhood in Indiana, saying people used to drag African-Americans from trucks until they died, according to Forbes.

Ahh the good old days.... SMH!

 

[DFSNOLE]

Gentlemen

I'm going to revoke your charter! (Figured the youngsters on the board needed a reference)

 

[NDallasRuss]

He has the naming rights lol. Papa Johns the corporation has the sponsorship rights.

http://kycir.org/2017/05/18/the-details-on-that-papa-johns-cardinal-stadium-deal/

Yup - I read that the deal was between UL and him, and he can change the name of the stadium to something else if he wants.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

This guy has been a joke for years, with many stories floating around of his booze and coke binges and mishaps.

 

[ericram]

This guy has been a joke for years, with many stories floating around of his booze and coke binges and mishaps.

But really who hasn't been there?!

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

Nope, he owns the naming rights until 2041.

Gotta wonder whether Papa John’s will even be around in 23 years. Or 3 years. Who knows?

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I remember back in high school, PJs was the pizza of choice. It beat the heck out of Pizza Hut and Dominos and was the new kid on the block.

Times have changed. I hadn't had PJs in nearly a decade until about 2-3 years ago when I had it. Quality had gone down the drain. The cheese was superbly gross! It was nothing like I remember it - or maybe I was okay with lousy pizza in my teens.

Considering it's off 40% from last year's high in an increasingly competitive space, a change in management if not control seems long over due, regardless of Schnatter's idiotic comments, drunken antics & possible racism.