Falcons, Braves, Atlanta United Drop Papa John's

ATLANTA, GA — The Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta United soccer team have suspended their sponsorships with Papa John's Pizza after reports that the company's founder used a racial slur during a conference call.

AMB Sports and Entertainment, the group representing Falcons and United owner Arthur Blank and Mercedes-Benz stadium, announced Thursday that it has indefinitely suspended its relationship with the pizza chain and is considering a permanent end to the overall relationship.

"The divisive comments made and acknowledged by the company’s founder are reprehensible and do not align with our core values," the group said in its written statement.

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Papa John's founder John Schnatter has acknowledged that he used a racial slur for black people during a conference call in May. According to reports, Schnatter was asked how he would distance himself from racists and ended up complaining that Colonel Sanders, of KFC fame, allegedly used the word and never faced any backlash.

Schnatter stepped down as CEO of the company last year after blaming slowing sales growth on the outcry surrounding football players kneeling during the national anthem. For the first three months of this year, the chain earlier reported that a key sales figure fell 5.3 percent in North America.

He stepped down as chairman of its board on Wednesday, after the latest controversy broke.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the Atlanta Braves also have put their relationship with the company on hold. The Braves have indefinitely suspended their marketing relationship with Papa John's, a spokeswoman told the AJC in an email.

The Atlanta teams join a long list of professional sports franchises that are distancing themselves from Papa John's.

Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images