Professional sports are more influential than ever.
Live sporting events are some of the few programs that still draw major ratings.
And the NFL just launched one big partnership.
There’s a new sandwich in town
The television business has changed dramatically.
Shows don’t draw anywhere near the ratings they once did when there were only three networks.
Now there are countless cable channels, streaming platforms, social media apps, and other stimuli dividing the audience’s attention.
However, live sports still draw strong ratings, particularly the NFL.
The NFL is the highest-rated program wherever it broadcasts in the United States.
That’s why brands are eager to be in partnership with the league.
And Jersey Mike’s is in line to be the NFL’s next major sponsor.
Sports Business Journal reported that “Jersey Mike’s will be emerging with NFL rights in the QSR [quick-service restaurant] category with Subway exiting as an NFL league sponsor. The chain with 3,050+ U.S. locations seems more apt to take over an NFL deal. It has the resources, having sold a majority interest to Blackstone for $8B late last year. The brand also has been slowly working its way up the sponsorship chain, starting with colleges, where it now has more than 40 NCAA schools and a four-year-old naming-rights deal for the basketball arena at Rutgers.”
Subway’s brand was hit hard when spokesman Jared Fogle—who became famous for losing 245 pounds on the “Subway Diet”—went to federal prison for child sex tourism in 2015.
Prior to that, he had appeared in hundreds of spots for the company.
Sports Business Journal added that “[i]n 2023, Jersey Mike’s signed its first league-level designation with the NHL, becoming its ‘official sub sandwich.’ Jersey Mike’s has been motivated by camera-visible signage, which would help explain why they’ve used Van Wagner’s signage expertise while buttressing their sponsorship portfolio. Certainly, that strategy will have to change with NFL rights. Sources tell me agencies are already lining up. I assume the RFP will ask how best to integrate NFL rights with actor Danny DeVito, who came on as the chain’s first celeb endorser three years ago.”
Papa John’s
Subway is not the only big sponsor to have its relationship with the NFL ended.
Little Caesars became the official sponsor of the NFL after controversy surrounding Papa John’s.
Company founder John Schnatter was ousted as CEO after a public relations firm allegedly sabotaged him by leaking out-of-context discussions.
At the time, Schnatter had been locking horns with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding the anti-American anthem protests that swept across the league and hurt viewership.
According to Schnatter, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder wanted Schnatter to attack Goodell publicly in an attempt to get him removed as commissioner.
Schnatter did not go along with it, and ultimately he was the one who got removed.
The NFL’s brand is resilient.
It was able to rebound from the disastrous protests that roiled for years.
Stay tuned to Unmuzzled News for any updates to this ongoing story.
