NFL Get Rich Quick Scheme: Own the Who Dat
Two local merchants in NOLA received Cease and Desist orders two weeks ago, telling them that they could no longer make shirts that were Saints related. The Saints logo wasn’t used – unless any fleur-de-lis has claimed ownership by the NFL and the phrase ‘Who Dat?’ is the focus of this debate.
Last year, when the Saints mildly resembled the ‘Aints of past, the NFL didn’t care that people were shouting “Who Dat?” or that Zapp’s makes Who Dat chips or all of the time Cincinnati Fans and Saints Fans have spent many message board forums debating which team came up with it first – Cincinnati’s “Who Dey” or The Saints “Who Dat?”
No, no. The NFL didn’t care about “Who Dat” or the Who Dats for that matter, until the New Orleans Saints had a winning season and became the NFC Champs. Now the NFL cares a lot. Wide-eyed at all the potential cash they can bring in, the NFL is singling out local businesses that have been successful, trying to claim anything that comes in Saints colors, has a saints logo or anything else related to it.
Here’s what NFL Spokesperson, Dan Masonson, claims:
“Any unauthorized use of the Saints colors and other [marks] designed to create the illusion of an affiliation with the Saints is equally a violation of the Saints trademark rights because it allows a third party to ‘free ride’ by profiting from confusion of the team’s fans, who want to show support for the Saints.”
Storyville was one of the local merchants that received a Cease and Desist from the NFL for two of their shirts that feature the words Who Dat.
“I really thought the ‘Who Dat’ was something that belonged to the people more than to the Saints or to the NFL or anything else,” said Storyville co-owner Josh Harvey.
Fleurty Girl, located on Oak Street, was also a victim of t he NFL’s get-rich-quick scheme.
“They’re telling me not to print anymore shirts and to get rid of the inventory that I have because it says the words ‘Who dat’ and it has a gold fleur de lis on the shirt,” she said.
In talking to friends of mine not living in Louisiana, comments were made about how cheesy ‘Who Dat” is. I explain to them that there is a really deep cultural tone to it, and it may be one of those things that you cannot understand unless you live in the region. They seem satisfied with that answer.
The fact that the NFL is going to try to take something – that DOES have deep cultural significance INSIDE and OUTSIDE of sports- and claim they ‘own’ it kind of makes me have to throw up a little bit in my mouth. It literally makes me feel sick to my stomach.
It’s not like the people in this area haven’t been screwed over enough already, but it’s time for the NFL to come on in.
The Saints season doesn’t belong to the NFL. The players are the ones that worked their asses of and won those games. The players and this city rallying behind them. This city that has seen a lot of benefits from the Saints season when it needed it: financial and otherwise. To try to capitalize that after thirty years of not caring is transparent and one of the grossest examples of greed ever experienced by me.
Shame on you NFL.
WHO DAT
WHO DAT
