Not only his comments to Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charlotte Observer made the headlines, but quarterback Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers also started losing sponsors. Yogurt maker Dannon decided to pull the plug on the endorsement deal with Newton.
After Rodrigue asked Newton a question during the press conference about how Panthers’ receiver Devin Funchess “embraced the physicality of his routes” this season, Newton laughed and then continued by saying: “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes. It’s funny.”
This didn’t sit well with the media, public or Dannon. The company decided to drop Cam Newton as their spokesperson and issued a statement where they criticized his comments and announced that company will no longer work with him.
“We are shocked and disheartened at the behavior and comments of Cam Newton towards Jourdan Rodrigue, which we perceive as sexist and disparaging to all women “- said Michael Neuwirth, senior director of external communications for Dannon for USA Today. “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.“
Cam Newton’s other sponsors include Under Armor, Electronic Arts, Beats, and Gatorade. If these companies also decide to distance themselves from the Panthers’ QB, Newton’s annual incomes would take a big hit. According to Forbes, Newton makes around $13 million per year from endorsement deals, which is equal to his NFL salary. In 2017 he took the 56th spot in the highest paid athletes in the world ranking. So far, no other company has made comments about the situation Newton got himself into, but it shouldn’t be surprising to see some other companies follow Dannon’s lead.
