Wingstop's CEO defies Papa John's by saying the NFL isn't hurting business
Hollis Johnson/Business Insider
- Wingstop's CEO has said that controversy surrounding NFL players' protests during the national anthem hasn't affected sales.
- Meanwhile, the CEO of Papa John's has blamed the league for its disappointing sales, slamming NFL leadership.
- Both customers and rival pizza brands have criticized Papa John's for blaming the national anthem protests.
Wingstop's CEO says that NFL players kneeling during the national anthem isn't hurting the wing chain's sales.
"If you look at the [comparable sales] trends, we have not seen any sort of meaningful impact from the NFL," Wingstop CEO Charlie Morrison said in a call with investors on Thursday.
According to Morrison, timing of certain games can affect Wingstop sales, but otherwise, the chain hasn't seen any negative impact from the league's ratings, which have declined over the last two seasons.
Thomson Reuters
Last year, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. The controversy over the protests was renewed in September after President Donald Trump said players who did so should be fired.
On Wednesday, the founder and CEO of Papa John's, John Schnatter, chalked up lower-than-expected sales to the NFL's declining ratings amid the players' protests.
"Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership," Schnatter said.
On Thursday, Pizza Hut's parent company, Yum Brands, discussed the topic during a call with investors, saying that the controversy was not impacting the chain's sales.
It is worth noting that while sales during NFL games are important to Wingstop, Papa John's, and Pizza Hut, the three pizza chains all have different relationships with the league.
Papa John's is the official pizza of the NFL, and experts have said that means that people's negative perceptions of the league can carry over to the pizza chain. The company began its partnership with the NFL in 2010 and has "preferred pizza" partnerships with 23 teams.
- Singapore Airlines was ordered to pay a couple compensation for 'mental agony' after they complained their business-class seats didn't automatically recline
- Welcome to the white-collar recession
- A software engineer shares the résumé he's used since college that got him a $500,000 job at Meta — plus offers at TikTok and LinkedIn
- 'Panchayat' season three to come out on Prime Video on May 28
- Top places to visit in Pahalgam in 2024
- April auto sales – Hyundai continues to hold the second position as Tata Motors inches closer
- Amul to sponsor USA cricket team in T20 World Cup
- LG Saxena gives nod to sack 223 DCW employees hired 'without due procedure'
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market