# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Hollis Johnson

Pizza Hut executives say that controversy surrounding NFL players' protest during the national anthem haven't impacted sales.

Meanwhile, Papa John's CEO blamed the league for decreased sales and slammed NFL leadership.

Pizza delivery during live sporting events are crucial sales drivers for both pizza chains.

While Papa John's says sales have been hit hard by controversy over NFL players' national anthem protests, Pizza Hut executives say its sales haven't been affected at all.

"We're not seeing impact on any of that on our business," Greg Creed, CEO of Pizza Hut's parent company Yum Brands, said in a call with investors on Thursday.

Creed said that Pizza Hut does benefit from live sporting events, including baseball, college football, and the NFL. Pizza Hut is the official sponsor of the NCAA, making college sports especially important to the chain.

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

On Wednesday, Papa John's founder and CEO chalked up lower-than-expected sales on the NFL's declining ratings following players' protests.

"Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership," CEO John Schnatter said.

Many on the right rallied around Papa John's and Schnatter following his comments. However, others roasted the Papa John's founder for blaming players protesting racial inequality for poor sales, as opposed to acknowledging subpar pizza could have played a role.

It is worth noting that, while sales during NFL games are important to both Papa John's and Pizza Hut, the two pizza chains do not have identical relationships with the professional football league.

Papa John's is the official pizza of the NFL. According to executives, that means when people have negative perceptions of the league, this negativity carries over to the pizza chain. The company began its partnership with the NFL in 2010 and has "Preferred Pizza" partnerships with 23 NFL teams.

Additionally, Schnatter has a much longer history of speaking his mind on political issues than Creed. The Papa John's founder - who donated $1,000 to President Trump's campaign - previously sparked controversy by speaking out against Obamacare. Creed did not donate to either campaign.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pizza Hut CEO says protesting NFL players haven't hurt his business as Trump donor Papa John's CEO blames them for decline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pizza Hut executives say that controversy surrounding NFL players' protest during the national anthem haven't impacted sales. Meanwhile, Papa John's CEO blamed the league for decreased sales and slammed NFL leadership. Pizza delivery during live sporting events are crucial sales drivers for both pizza chains.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Papa John's Pulls NFL-Associated Ads Citing 'Negative Consumer Sentiment'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pizza chain Papa John's announced Wednesday that it is pulling its advertising associated with the NFL , according to ESPN's Darren Rovell ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
During a post-earnings conference call this week, John Schnatter - better known as the CEO (and spokesman) of Papa John's - told reporters and shareholders that the cause for the company's lackluster performance in recent months has nothing to do with its food or customer service, but rather the NFL's handling of the protests during the national anthem.

"The NFL has hurt us by not resolving the current debacle to the players' and owners' satisfaction," he said during the call, according to Bloomberg . "NFL leadership has hurt Papa John's shareholders." The NFL came up over 40 times during the conference call.

To even the most casual viewer at home, Schnatter might be among the more recognizable faces during game broadcasts. Papa John's has been one of the league's most visible sponsors for years, and Schnatter has made a point of inserting himself into the company's ad campaigns alongside a rotating cast of NFL stars, most notably Peyton Manning (who retired after the 2015 season and now owns a group of Papa John's franchises in the Denver area).

Schnatter specifically singled out NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for criticism, suggesting he hasn't done enough to put a stop to the on-field protests during the national anthem.

"Leadership starts at the top, and this is an example of poor leadership," said Schnatter, who was last in the news for supposedly drunkenly cavorting with college students after a Louisville basketball game.

Schnatter's hostility toward the civil rights protest is hardly a surprise given his other conservative tendencies. When the Affordable Care Act went into full effect in 2012, Schnatter in New York City (where threatened to raise prices on the company's "pizza," citing the increased cost of providing health care to their workers. Several Papa John's franchises were subpoenaed that "Pizza's really nutritious, it's good for you." Notably, he didn't comment on the nutritional value of the hot cheese circles his chain of fast food restaurants serves. even the rats know how to find better pizza) for allegedly underpaying their employees. And in response to First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to introduce healthier food options into schools,

The popularity of the NFL helped fuel Papa John's growth in the 2010s, when the company began heavily investing ad dollars into national broadcasts. But when the league's ratings and popularity began to decline-mostly due to more and more Americans ditching cable packages-Papa John's fortunes took a turn with it. The company posted disappointing earnings results this week , saying that same store sales grew by just 1 percent, missing analysts' projections. The company's stock fell by 13 percent on the news, their worst decline in over two years.

The fast food industry is full of conservative boogeymen. Ronald McDonald has been the poster child (poster clown?) for opposition to a livable wage . Andrew Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants (which owns brands like Hardee's and Carl's Jr.), was Donald Trump's pick to serve as Labor Secretary before he withdrew from consideration after video emerged of his former wife accusing him of spousal abuse. Chick-Fil-A faced a national boycott after company's president came out as a virulent homophobe .

Papa John's, as it turns out, is really no different.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Papa John's CEO blames black athletes for disappointing pizza sales

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
During a post-earnings conference call this week, John Schnatter - better known as the CEO (and spokesman) of Papa John's - told reporters and shareholders that the cause for the company's lackluster performance in recent months has nothing to do with its food or customer service, but rather the NFL's handling of the protests during the national anthem.