Carolina Panthers quarterback, Cam Newton, lost his endorsement deal with Dannon, a yogurt manufacturer, after many perceived him to be laughing-in-jest while fielding a female reporter’s question. “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes like…it’s funny.” Newton said.
His comments, when coupled with his laughter, sent his sponsors reeling. When Dannon announced their termination of Newton’s contract, a spokesperson called his comment “sexist and disparaging to all women.”
A Panther’s beat reporter for The Charlotte Observer, Jourdan Rodrigue, asked Newton about a receiver’s ability to get open down the field. Newton’s response to her question received a plethora of backlash including sports news media organizations, NFL officials, his peers, and patrons via social media outlets.
Newton has represented Dannon’s Oikos Yogurt by appearing in television ads and other marketing efforts on behalf of the brand, whose parent company is Danone. According to Forbes, since 2015, he has earned at least 13 million dollars in both endorsements and salary.
Michael Neuwirth, Dannon’s Spokesperson, confirmed with USA TODAY Sports that he [Newton] will still be paid through the length of the deal, but he would no longer appear in ads promoting Oikos.
Dannon continued with, “It is entirely inconsistent with our commitment to fostering equality and inclusion in every workplace. It’s simply not ok to belittle anyone based on gender. We have shared our concerns with Cam and will no longer work with him.”
Contrary to Dannon’s claims, Newton’s marketing agent, Carlos Fleming, told the NFL Network’s,Ian Rapoport that Dannon “has not terminated the agreement, nor do they have grounds to.”
PepsiCo, another sponsor, which owns Gatorade, stated that “Gatorade fully supports women who compete in, report on, coach for, or play any role in sport[s]—on or off the field.” They also deemed Newton’s comments to be “objectionable and disrespectful to all women and [that] they do not reflect the values of our brand.”
After the incident, Rodrigue and Newton talked privately. Newton did not apologize to her despite Panthers director of communications, Steven Drummond telling ESPN that Newton “expressed regret for using those words.”
On the following day Newton released a video apology: “After careful thought, I understand that my word choice was extremely degrading and disrespectful to women. And to be honest, that was not my intentions…”
But more drama was dug up and fueled the fire when it was revealed that Rodrigue has posted offensive and racist comments, in the past, on her social media accounts. She has since apologized and deleted those comments.
Nevertheless, the executive sports editor of the Observer, Mike Persing, said Newton’s comments were “unfortunate and out of line.”
The NFL said that, “the comments are just plain wrong and disrespectful to the exceptional female reporters and all journalists. They do not reflect the thinking of the league.”
The Pro Football Writers of America also condemned Newton’s comments, saying in a statement, simply, he “crossed the line”.
Under Armor and Beats have yet to comment on the incident.
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Cam Newton Loses Yogurt Endorsement Deal Over Sexist Comment
October 24, 2017
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