Papa John's deal for the stadium rights was extended after donations from Schnatter and the companyGETTY IMAGES
The Univ. of Louisville will change the name of its football home to Cardinal Stadium effective immediately, dropping the Papa John's name after company founder John Schnatter admitted he "used a highly offensive racial slur" during a conference call in May, according to Watkins & Lourim of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. Removing the company's name was a "unilateral decision" by UL President Neeli Bendapudi, who "informed Papa John's International and Schnatter" of the move. Bendapudi indicated that school is "familiar with the contract and understands what potential consequences there might be." No timetable was given "for removing the signage" (COURIER-JOURNAL.com, 7/13). In Louisville, Tim Sullivan in a front-page piece reports the right to change the name of Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium "belongs exclusively" to Schnatter. In return for donations pledged prior to stadium construction, the school "agreed to its original corporate name and provided Schnatter the right to request changes no more than once every five years." That deal was "subsequently extended" through '40, in consideration of donations from Schnatter and from Papa John’s corporate coffers. No versions of the document have included "language that would allow the university to unilaterally change the name" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 7/13).
PLAYERS WEIGH IN: In Louisville, Jake Lourim notes UL football players Jaylen Smith and Seth Dawkins on Thursday tweeted that the school "should change the name of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium." Dawkins on Twitter posted, "We need to change the name of the Stadium ASAP, I'm not here for it" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 7/13).
