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THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2018
WVU Athletics considering end to Papa John’s partnership BY JOE SEVERINO NEWS EDITOR WVU Athletics is currently considering ending its corporate partnership with Papa John’s Pizza after company founder John Schnatter used the N-word in a meeting with employees earlier this year. Senior Associate Athletic Director Matt Wells said WVU had concerns with Papa John’s after Schnatter’s comments in May. Wells said a decision has not been reached, but the University has been discussing leaving the partnership since the incident. “We’re having conversations internally, externally and then we will come to a decision hopefully here in the very near future about what the involvement looks like for this season and moving forward,” Wells said. The downside to ending the partnership, Wells said, is that the local Papa John’s franchises would end up being hurt, who had nothing to do with the comments made by Schnatter. “Our relationship has been with the local
franchisee, not necessarily corporate, so that’s why we’re taking our time and having some very thorough discussions before we make any final decisions on what the relationship looks like this season,” Wells said. “The moment the news broke about the controversy, we started monitoring the situation.” WVU spokesman John Bolt also said the University’s concern lies with the local Papa John’s franchises. “Our major connection is with the local vendors, so we’re trying to take that into consideration,” Bolt said. Papa John’s is currently one of 19 corporate partners of WVU Athletics listed on the UniGRAPHIC BY HANNAH WILLIAMS versity’s website and is In a Twitter poll conducted by the Daily Athenaeum, 31 percent of students said that they would not continue the only pizza company to eat Papa Johns’s, while 69 percent reported that they would continue to patronize the business. on the list. WVU entirely, not just ployees in May. Schnatletics but the University instead of the normal Athletics, is weighing its ter resigned later that as well,” Bolt said. Papa John’s, citing the relationship with Papa week as the company’s Forbes reported in incident with Schnatter. John’s. For the annual chairman. Schnatter early July that Schnatter “[The partnership is] Monday Night Lights founded Papa John’s in used the N-word over a event for freshmen, WVU still in discussion right 1984. conference call with emnow, not only with Athsupplied Domino’s pizza
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A LOOK INSIDE
Journalism’s role at WVU The DA’s Editor-in-Chief speaks out about media’s role. page 8
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Spavital adds to WVU offense Spatival’s hiring leads to big change to WVU football. page 12