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Subway franchisees want to give U.S. soccer star Rapinoe the boot

  

Category:  Sports

Via:  hallux  •  3 years ago  •  56 comments

By:   Brad Hunter

Subway franchisees want to give U.S. soccer star Rapinoe the boot
“Spending our money to make a political statement is completely and totally out of bounds.”

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe is quickly racking up yellow cards in the court of public opinion.

First, the Olympic legend was slammed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who called her bronze medal winning team “left-wing maniacs” who lost because they were too woke.

And now, according to the New York Post, a group of Subway franchisees are pressuring the fast-food giant to give her a red card and expulsion from the game.

Rapinoe became a pitchwoman for the sandwich shop last spring but in the overheated American political climate, the franchisees are claiming the 36-year-old athlete/activist is alienating customers.

Rapinoe kneeling at the Tokyo Olympics didn’t help. Getting defeated by arch-rival Canada didn’t help. Or maybe the tone of her commercials caused indigestion.

In one ad, Rapinoe knocks a burrito out of a man’s hands by kicking a soccer ball at him.

Response? Meh.

By last month, some Subway owners gathered on a discussion forum and said ‘Game Over.’

One franchise owner posted a photo of a note from a customer taped to the front of his shop.

It read: “Boycott Subway until Subway fires the anti-American … Megan Rapinoe, the creep who kneels for our beloved National Anthem!”

The owner said the ad should be pulled and that he was tired of “apologizing.”

“We are so politically divided in this country and Subway should have done more careful due diligence, without a doubt, before choosing [Rapinoe],” John Gordon of Pacific Management Consulting Group told The Post.

Subway doesn’t own any of its nearly U.S. 22,000 locations. Instead, it charges franchisees 4.5% of their revenue for a national advertising fund and controls how the money is spent.

But operators in red states are adding extra beef.

One Arizona operator said: “Spending our money to make a political statement is completely and totally out of bounds.”


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Hallux
Masters Principal
1  seeder  Hallux    3 years ago

For a lark during my interior design days, I designed a restaurant called Cry-Babies, it was to be staffed by pregnant waitresses and customers were to sit in high chairs and made to wear bibs. I doubt it would have worked in the 1980s but I’m sure it would today.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
1.1  devangelical  replied to  Hallux @1    3 years ago

concept restaurants were all the rage, 40 years ago. subway = cheap bread, flavorless veggies, and turkey based lunchmeat sandwiches... yuk.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2  Texan1211    3 years ago

The franchisees have a valid point here.

Why do something so controversial (regardless of where one stands on Rapinoe)?

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
2.1  devangelical  replied to  Texan1211 @2    3 years ago

...but, but, but, IOKIYAR

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2.1.1  Texan1211  replied to  devangelical @2.1    3 years ago

Dude, this is business, not politics.

WTF does being a Republican (besides just your insane, overwhelming, all-consuming hatred of them) have to do with Sunway hiring a controversial figure as spokeswoman?

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
2.1.2  seeder  Hallux  replied to  Texan1211 @2.1.1    3 years ago

"Dude", it's both.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2.1.3  Texan1211  replied to  Hallux @2.1.2    3 years ago

Not for the franchisees, it is all business for them.

Which is the point of the article.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
2.1.4  seeder  Hallux  replied to  Texan1211 @2.1.3    3 years ago

The point of the article is the growing cancel culture directed at Rapinoe that was started by Trump. Those franchise owners should take buckets solace from your comment at 3.1.1.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2.1.5  Texan1211  replied to  Hallux @2.1.4    3 years ago

Denying that Rapinoe  is and was controversial independent of Trump is denying reality

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2.1.6  Texan1211  replied to  Hallux @2.1.4    3 years ago

Subway has been struggling for some time now, and corporate decisions without input from those paying the bills is not going to save them.

 
 
 
Ed-NavDoc
Professor Quiet
2.2  Ed-NavDoc  replied to  Texan1211 @2    3 years ago

I'm surprised it took Subway so long to dump her!

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
3  Ronin2    3 years ago

Cancel culture cuts both ways. The right learned from the left. Maybe corporations will finally learn to stay out of politics in advertisement? Nah, until the right closes the gap on cancel culture they will continue to bend to the left.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
3.1  devangelical  replied to  Ronin2 @3    3 years ago

like chikfila and in and out burger?

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.1.1  Texan1211  replied to  devangelical @3.1    3 years ago
like chikfila

Which became the number one seller of chicken in the world AFTER "woke leftists" held their little boycott?

LMAO!

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
3.2  Jack_TX  replied to  Ronin2 @3    3 years ago
Cancel culture cuts both ways.

Absolutely.

The right learned from the left.

Completely the opposite.  The "right"...conservative/Christian/establishment... has been "canceling" shit at least since Copernicus. 

 
 
 
SteevieGee
Professor Silent
4  SteevieGee    3 years ago

Subway knew she was an activist way before they hired her.  Doesn't mean she won't lose her job though.  Sometimes rights come at a cost.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
4.1  Texan1211  replied to  SteevieGee @4    3 years ago
Subway knew she was an activist way before they hired her. 

Kind of the point the franchisees are making here.

 
 
 
Greg Jones
Professor Participates
4.2  Greg Jones  replied to  SteevieGee @4    3 years ago

The franchisees (small businesses) didn't hire her

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
4.2.1  Texan1211  replied to  Greg Jones @4.2    3 years ago

I don't believe he read the article.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
4.2.2  seeder  Hallux  replied to  Greg Jones @4.2    3 years ago

Did those franchises hire Steph Curry, Serena Williams or Tom Brady?

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
4.2.3  Texan1211  replied to  Hallux @4.2.2    3 years ago

No, they did not.

 
 
 
Ed-NavDoc
Professor Quiet
4.2.4  Ed-NavDoc  replied to  Texan1211 @4.2.3    3 years ago

All hired at corporate level.  Individual franchises have zero say in the matter

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
4.3  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  SteevieGee @4    3 years ago

She is most likely on contract with them.  She may end up suing them to be paid for the run of the contract if they stop paying her.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5  Sean Treacy    3 years ago

A self righteous, judgmental progressive happily taking millions for a few hours work from struggling franchisees (many of whom are immigrants) is perfectly on brand.  She'll probably use the money to hire a private jet to protest climate change.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
5.1  seeder  Hallux  replied to  Sean Treacy @5    3 years ago

Do you think she takes in more from Subway than Steph Curry, Serena Williams or Tom Brady?

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
5.1.1  Kavika   replied to  Hallux @5.1    3 years ago

Tom Brady endorsing Subway is really quite funny. He made some ''interesting'' comments about that type of food and some say he's never been inside a Subway. 

Hey, if the money is right people will say anything. 

 
 
 
Gordy327
Professor Expert
5.1.2  Gordy327  replied to  Kavika @5.1.1    3 years ago
He made some ''interesting'' comments about that type of food and some say he's never been inside a Subway. 

I have my doubts he's been in a Subway. He's known for being conscientious about his diet.

Hey, if the money is right people will say anything. 

This is true.

 
 
 
Hallux
Masters Principal
5.1.3  seeder  Hallux  replied to  Kavika @5.1.1    3 years ago

The bizarre thing about this is that it's based on a photo taken about a year ago that was reposted as if it happened during the Tokyo Olympics. All of the women on the team including Rapinoe stood during the national anthem.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
5.1.4  JohnRussell  replied to  Kavika @5.1.1    3 years ago

Tom Brady doesnt have to work another day in his life. Not even in commercials.  He doesnt even have to play football anymore, although I assume that is more fun than work for him. 

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
5.1.5  JohnRussell  replied to  Gordy327 @5.1.2    3 years ago
I have my doubts he's been in a Subway. He's known for being conscientious about his diet.

It's worse than that. I am pretty sure he has specifically made fun of Subway's food in the past (as not healthy) although I'd have to look up the exact circumstances. 

 
 
 
Gordy327
Professor Expert
5.1.6  Gordy327  replied to  JohnRussell @5.1.5    3 years ago
I am pretty sure he has specifically made fun of Subway's food in the past (as not healthy)

If Subway can get an endorsement from one of football's greatest, I doubt they care about that.

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
5.1.7  Sean Treacy  replied to  Hallux @5.1    3 years ago
hink she takes in more from Subway than Steph Curry, Serena Williams or Tom Brady?

Do the franchisees who are paying the bill object to those three? 

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
5.1.8  Ronin2  replied to  JohnRussell @5.1.5    3 years ago

Have any of you watched the Subway commercials that he is in? They directly poke fun of the fact Brady doesn't eat at Subway; much the less bread.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
5.1.9  Kavika   replied to  Ronin2 @5.1.8    3 years ago

So they are paying Brady to say that he doesn't eat Subway, that's one hell of a marketing campaign. No wonder they have closed 3,000 stores in the last 3/4 years. 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
5.1.10  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Kavika @5.1.1    3 years ago

They named a sandwich after Brady.....Deflated Meatball Subs.

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
5.1.11  Ronin2  replied to  Kavika @5.1.9    3 years ago

I didn't say Subway was smart.

In fact I doubt any of the athletes they have in their commercials ever eat their food.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
6  Kavika     3 years ago

Seems that the franchisees have a lot more problems than Rapinoe

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
6.1  Sean Treacy  replied to  Kavika @6    3 years ago

The franchisor that hired Rapinoe exploits it franchisees shamelessly. 

It's a sad situation. 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
6.1.1  Kavika   replied to  Sean Treacy @6.1    3 years ago

If their complaints in the letter that is in the link that I posted are all true, Subway exploits the franchisees in ways that are much more devastating to them than having Rapinoe as a spokesperson.

 
 
 
bbl-1
Professor Quiet
7  bbl-1    3 years ago

Yawn.  All franchises/businesses contribute money to candidates, political parties and legislative agendas.  For Subway to critisize Rapone for making a political statement is not only absurd, it is also absurd.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
7.1  Jack_TX  replied to  bbl-1 @7    3 years ago
All franchises/businesses contribute money to candidates, political parties and legislative agendas.

No.  They don't.

Small businesses in particular (like most franchisees) don't have money to spend on things like that.

For Subway to critisize Rapone for making a political statement is not only absurd, it is also absurd.

To clarify, it's some of the franchisees who object.

 
 
 
bbl-1
Professor Quiet
7.1.1  bbl-1  replied to  Jack_TX @7.1    3 years ago

I understand.  However, Subway, Corporate Subway does contribute.  Mom and Pop franchises not so much but I was not referring to them.  Franchises often object to what Corporate does, but----------they follow the dictates or get out.  Simple as that.

 
 
 
Ronin2
Professor Quiet
7.1.2  Ronin2  replied to  bbl-1 @7.1.1    3 years ago

If you read the article Franchises contribute a percentage of their revenue for a national advertising campaign. That is on top of royalties for operating under the Subway brand.

Subway doesn’t own any of its nearly U.S. 22,000 locations. Instead, it charges franchisees 4.5% of their revenue for a national advertising fund and controls how the money is spent.

So Mom & Pop franchises make up the revenue for the Subway corporations; but Subway controls everything. Almost sounds like a Ponzi scheme.

Maybe if Subway actually owned some their own stores they would be in a better position to dictate; or at least would understand the problems their franchises are going through.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
7.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  bbl-1 @7    3 years ago

While I find some celebrity endorsers entertaining like John Lithgow for Progressive Soup, although you only hear his voice.  I buy the soup because I like it.   I have never bought a product simply because a recognizable face or voice endorses it.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
9  Buzz of the Orient    3 years ago

Get your snacks at Tim Horton's instead - at least that chain honours a hockey great. 

 
 

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