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Papa John's, University of Louisville put distance between brands and Schnatter

As Papa John's sets about the process of removing embattled founder John Schnatter from its branding, the University of Louisville stadium bearing the brand's moniker will drop that identifier, moving back to Cardinal Stadium rather than Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

July 13, 2018

As Papa John's sets about the process of removing images of its embattled founder, John Schnatter, from its branding, the University of Louisville told Louisville Business First that the school's stadium bearing the brand's moniker will now move back to being  Cardinal Stadium rather than Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. 

This morning a Papa John's spokesperson confirmed that the brand is removing all images of Schnatter in its related materials, signage and all other peripherals. The restaurateur's likeness has long been attached to the brand, as can be seen in the above cover photo shot in Maryland in 2012, according to the iStock photographer who took it. 

This afternoon, news broke that U of L President Neeli Bendapudi announced the stadium's name change, as well as stripping Schnatter's name from the John H. Schnatter Center for Free Enterprise at the school's business college, which  he helped found with  wife, Annette three years ago with $4.64 million donation from their family foundation. 

The embattled restaurateur came under fire this week for allegedly using a racial slur and other derogatory references to African Americans during a media training session in May, which Forbes first reported earlier this week.

That followed his statement late last year on another conference earnings call laying the blame for declining sales on the company's former NFL affiliation during the players' anthem protests. He resigned in December as CEO, and this week resigned as board chair as a result of the most recent negative publicity. 

Photo: iStock