Another major sponsor is speaking out on the NFL's handling of domestic violence cases, with PepsiCo Inc.'s CEO Indra Nooyi saying she is "deeply disturbed."
Nooyi decried the "repugnant behaviour of a few players and the NFL's acknowledged mishandling of these issues," in a statement late Wednesday.
Pepsi is one of the biggest NFL sponsors through its namesake soda brand, Gatorade sports drink and Frito-Lay snack division. The league and its teams have come under fire over the past two weeks over how it is dealing with several players with domestic violence allegations against them. An investigation has been launched into whether Commissioner Roger Goodell knew about or saw a video of Baltimore Ravens player Ray Rice hitting his then-fiancee earlier than he said.
Most major sponsors have voiced disapproval, with Anheuser-Busch, another one of the biggest, saying it was "increasingly concerned" about the situation.
But despite the lip service, it would be difficult for a sponsor to actually give up on the NFL. An average of 17.4 million people tune in during a regular season NFL game, about 65 per cent men and 35 per cent women, according to Nielsen. During the Super Bowl, that ratchets up to 111.5 million watchers.
Nooyi said she supports Goodell, calling him a "man of integrity," and praised the decision to hire three women executives to help shape its domestic violence policies.
"The reality for Commissioner Goodell and the NFL is that they now have an opportunity to effect positive change with the situation presented to them," she said in a statement.
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AP Business Writer Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report.
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