The entire world is gutted by the unfortunate demise of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. On Wednesday, September 10, the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA was shot in the neck by an unidentified sniper at Utah Valley University in Orem, in front of over 3,000 people, while speaking his mind at an outdoor event just 20 minutes into the program. In the wake of this tragic incident, as condolences poured in, the owner of Cincinnati-based restaurant Lucius Q landed himself in hot water over controversial social media remarks. This, in turn, prompted the city’s renowned MLS club to deliver what they deemed a fitting response with a major decision.

The man in question is none other than Aaron Sharpe, owner of the renowned BBQ restaurant in southwestern Ohio. He made shocking comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, which quickly thrust him into the negative spotlight. And before he could retract his words, Major League Soccer team FC Cincinnati decided to cut ties with Lucius Q, which had been selling its BBQ at their home ground, TQL Stadium, with immediate effect.

Sharing a statement across their social media, the MLS side’s communication team wrote, “FC Cincinnati and TQL Stadium expect our vendors and partners to uphold the values of respect and tolerance that are core to our club’s identity. We were founded on the idea that soccer unites, and we remain committed to ensuring that FCC is for all and that we provide a safe and welcoming environment for our patrons. Toward that end, we have terminated our relationship with Lucius Q.”

Pat Noonan’s side, who are currently positioned in the second spot of the Eastern Conference standings with a tally of 52, returns to TQL Stadium this weekend, where they will be hosting fourth-placed Nashville. And with fans expected to come in numbers, one thing is clear: they certainly won’t be getting their hands on Lucious BBQ at the TQL Stadium. No wonder, after FC Cincinnati’s call, the restaurant also decided to make a big move.

On September 11 at 8 p.m., Lucius Q took to its Facebook page to announce that Aaron Sharpe was no longer affiliated with the restaurant. As per The Enquirer, the restaurant, which has locations in Cincinnati’s Pendleton neighborhood and inside Factory 52 in Norwood, not anymore inside TQL Stadium, read, “We found the comments he made on his personal social media pages offensive and, as a result, have severed ties with him.”

Whether parting ways with Aaron Sharpe after this incident will lead to FC Cincinnati welcoming Lucius Q back as a vendor at TQL Stadium remains unclear. For now, both the MLS club and the BBQ food chain have taken the actions they felt were necessary. Speaking of which, this isn’t the only action-reaction episode, as a similar incident once forced another sporting side to make a decisive call!

NFL giants also follow the MLS side’s suit to stand against wrongdoing!

Following the tragic death of political activist Charlie Kirk, the Carolina Panthers quickly faced backlash after one of their PR staffers shared a controversial video. The post sparked immediate questions directed at the team’s front office, and before long, the Panthers issued a response. According to early reports, the staffer has been dismissed from the organization just hours after the incident.

“The views expressed by our employees are their own and do not represent those of the Carolina Panthers,” the team shared in their statement on ‘X’. “We do not condone violence of any kind. We are taking this matter very seriously and have accordingly addressed it with the individual.”

The employee, who began as a PR intern last year and was recently promoted to football communications coordinator, is no longer with the team. While the Panthers haven’t detailed how they handled the situation, reports suggest that the staffer’s Instagram account has since been taken down or suspended.

Be that as it may, let us know in the comments on whether MLS side FC Cincinnati and NFL side Carolina Panthers handled these unacceptable actions the right way.