Papa John's founder John Schnatter returns to Ball State campus

MUNCIE, Ind. — John Schnatter made a rare appearance on the campus of Ball State University, his alma mater, on Saturday.

The Papa John's Pizza founder attended the Ball State men's basketball game against Bowling Green State University at the request of fellow alumnus Jason Whitlock, a former Cardinal football player now co-hosting a sports opinion show on Fox Sports 1, BSU spokesperson Kathy Wolf said.

"Jason Whitlock, a proud Ball State alumnus, generously sponsored a promotion to encourage our students to attend the game, traveling from California to attend," Wolf said. "He invited several friends and alumni  … We are grateful for his enthusiastic support of our student athletes and delighted that he invited fellow alumni back to campus, including Mr. Schnatter."

Whitlock also invited several former BSU football players/roommates along with Wendell Brown — a former Cardinal football player who made headlines when a Chinese court sentenced him to four years in prison for being involved in a bar fight, a punishment his lawyer called excessive.

Schnatter brought several friends, including Greek's Pizzeria founder Chris Karamesines to the game with him. He posed for pictures with fans and handed out Papa John's gift cards on the concourse at Worthen Arena.

Via email, Schnatter on Monday told The Star Press:

"When I went to the Cardinals' game on Saturday, it was like a family reunion for me. I attended the game with my Ball State roommate and my high school baseball coach, who’s also an alumnus, as a guest of Jason Whitlock and the Ball State family. I love the Cardinals, the students, and all their great fans, and am proud of the team as they played a tough game against Bowling Green. The entire Ball State family made me feel so welcome that I didn’t want to leave!"

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"The purpose of the trip was multi-faceted," Whitlock told The Star Press on Monday via email. "I wanted to introduce Wendell and Papa John because John is going to play a role in assisting Wendell.

"I wanted to see the Ball State basketball team play in person. I haven't done that in many years. I want to reconnect Papa John to Ball State and make him part of positive endeavors and solutions that serve our students. My passion is for the students. How can we make their experience better than our experience? It takes resources."

Whitlock made some commitments to Wendell Brown about getting him back on his feet. It's a topic Whitlock has discussed with Schnatter for the past two years.

Whitlock came to Schnatter's defense in 2018 after public outcry over Schnatter's use of the N-word.

Read more:Jason Whitlock, Ball State alum, defends Papa John

Schnatter's use of the word "has virtually nothing to do with race and racism," and "the only person disparaged was Colonel Sanders," Whitlock told The Star Press at the time, and Schnatter's attorney told Forbes magazine that his client "quoted the (N-word) and did not use the word. There is a world of difference between using the word as a slur — demeaning someone by calling them that word — and quoting that word."

Still, following the lead of others, Ball State's board of trustees voted that year to remove Schnatter's name from a university entrepreneurship institute and a distinguished professorship. In 2016, the Charles Koch Foundation and the Schantter Family Foundation donated $3,250,000 to Ball State for the creation of the Schnatter institute and professorship. BSU also returned the Schnatter donation.

Was Schnatter's return to Ball State for a basketball game comparable in certain respects to Bobby Knight's return to Indiana University's Assembly Hall?

"I don't see Papa John as analogous to Bobby Knight," Whitlock told The Star Press. "I do think we should leave the misunderstandings and controversies of the past in the past and don't let them inhibit us from moving forward. I think those of us who love Ball State should work together to make things better."

Schnatter graduated from Ball State in 1983 with a major in business administration. At the time of his commencement talk in 2015, it had been a decade since Schnatter had last appeared publicly at his alma mater

The day after attending the Ball State game this past Saturday, Schnatter made an appearance at Kilroy's on Kirkwood, a bar in Bloomington.

Contact Seth Slabaugh at (765) 213-5834 or seths@muncie.gannett.com