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What Franchises Does Peyton Manning Own?
At one point in time, the celebrity athlete owned 31 Papa Johns franchises.
Everyone knows Peyton Manning as the superstar quarterback who led the Broncos and Colts to Super Bowl victories. What some may not know is that he is also an experienced franchisee. The former NFL athlete previously owned 31 Denver-area Papa Johns locations from 2012 until 2018.
"I've been a fan of Papa Johns pizza for a long time," Manning told the press when his ownership was initially revealed. "It's a smart investment now and will be long after I'm done playing football.
Not only did Manning franchise with Papa Johns, but he also became an active supporter of the brand in the media, appearing in several television commercials, some of which included John Schnatter, who was the company’s CEO at the time. In one, Manning even gave fans information about how to join him in becoming a franchise owner.
However, in 2018, Manning sold his stake in the 31 Papa Johns locations a day prior to the brand dropping its official NFL sponsorship, Nation’s Restaurant News reported.
“After six successful and rewarding years, Peyton Manning and Papa Johns International have sold their stake in 31 Papa Johns locations, which were part of a joint venture in the Denver, Colorado market,” the pizza chain said in a statement.
The restaurants were purchased by an existing Papa Johns franchisee that owns “a substantial number” of Papa Johns locations in large markets, according to Peter Collins, Papa Johns senior director of public relations.
Manning isn’t the only athlete to partner with the franchise. Shaq owns nine Papa Johns locations in or around Atlanta. He is also on the company’s board of directors and serves as a brand ambassador. In April 2022, Papa Johns and Shaq even agreed to a new endorsement deal worth $5.63 million.
The move came as the brand looked for ways to clean up its image and win back favor among customers after founder John Schnatter was involved in a series of controversies in 2018.
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