*By Michael Teich*
Nike's [decision](https://cheddar.com/videos/is-kaepernick-a-no-lose-proposition-for-nike) to feature Colin Kaepernick in its latest ad campaign isn't the only sponsor controversy that's hit the NFL this season ー and Pizza Hut has filled the hole left by Papa John's withdrawal.
"It's a direct invitation to our competitors' customers, Papa John's customers, and any of our competitors, to come join Hut rewards," said Marianne Radley, the chief brand officer for the pizza chain in the U.S., in an interview on Cheddar Tuesday.
The company, a subsidiary of Yum Brands, will mark its debut as the official pizza sponsor of the NFL when the 2018-19 season kicks off Thursday, offering a new rewards program targeting football fans.
Pizza Hut took over after several missteps by Papa John's former CEO. Founder John Schnatter had [blamed](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/05/09/papa-johns-tried-to-blame-the-nfl-for-bad-sales-that-clearly-wasnt-the-issue/?utm_term=.f2ecbb02fcef) players' decision to kneel for the anthem ー sparked, incidentally, by Kaepernick ー for leading to a decline in TV viewership of NFL games and his brand's meager sales. The drama didn't stop there. Schnatter [resigned](https://cheddar.com/videos/papa-johns-founder-resigns) in July from his position as chairman after he reportedly used racial slurs during a conference call. He'd given up the CEO spot in January.
While the NFL couldn't save Papa John's from declining sales, Radley said her company's strategy will yield better results by championing the real heroes of the game.
"You'll see a marked difference from the previous pizza sponsor of the NFL to the stance that we're taking," she said. "It's about celebrating the fans."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/pizza-hut-capitalizes-on-papa-johns-missteps-with-nfl-sponsorship).
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
Universal Music Group and AI platform Udio have settled a copyright lawsuit and will collaborate on a new music creation and streaming platform. The companies announced on Wednesday that they reached a compensatory legal settlement and new licensing agreements. These agreements aim to provide more revenue opportunities for Universal's artists and songwriters. The rise of AI song generation tools like Udio has disrupted the music streaming industry, leading to accusations from record labels. This deal marks the first since Universal and others sued Udio and Suno last year. Financial terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
