The NFL Chooses Pizza Hut as New Sponsor

Pizza Hut, which belongs to the Yum Brands company, is now officially the new sponsor of the NFL.

It was earlier in the week that Papa John’s ended its agreement with the league and Pizza Hut was quick to take the company’s place.

Both the NFL and Papa John’s released a statement this week saying that their eight-year partnership
coming to an end was a mutually made decision.

Pizza Hut’s U.S. division president, Artie Starrs, commented, “There’s so many things that we are excited about. At our core we are an innovative, entertaining brand and I think that’s what the NFL is too.”

As part of the partnership, Pizza Hut will be able to use 32 of the team marks in its marketing and will be able to work with the league on local deals with the teams.

The sponsorship begins this year at the NFL Draft which will be held at Pizza Hut’s headquarters in Texas.

Starrs told CNBC. “We think TV is an important place for us to play but we look at a lot of the things that the NFL is doing in terms of their mobile partnerships … we are going to go where the consumer goes. I think the NFL is committed to doing the same.”

“If you stay tuned to things like the NFL draft and certainly the start of next season you are going to see some things that you’ve never seen from a pizza partner before,” Starrs also said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) and have not been compensated for this article.