NFL draws fire from fans, Senator after claiming ‘Who Dat’ rights
New Orleans Saints fans — including Louisiana Sen. David Vitter — aren’t taking too kindly to the NFL’s claims that it has the exclusive rights to a traditional chant of Saints fans, ‘Who Dat? (Say they gonna beat them Saints).’
In an email to constituents sent Friday obtained by The Daily Caller, Vitter said:
You’ve probably heard about the NFL lawsuits against Louisianians for printing “Who Dat” on t-shirts in support of our beloved Saints. This is a very simple issue. The term “Who Dat” belongs only to us here in Who Dat Nation, and not the NFL. In fact, I just wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell on this very subject, which you can read and co-sign here.
As you’ll read in the letter, my campaign will be printing t-shirts that read, “Who Dat Say We Can’t Say Who Dat” to show the NFL just how serious I am about defending this term for loyal Saints fans. Stay tuned on how to get one for yourself.
I hope you’ll read my letter to NFL Commssioner Roger Goddell and join me as a citizen co-signer right now.
Together, we’ll stand up for our Saints and fans and shout “Who Dat” loud and proud on Super Bowl Sunday!
The letter underscores how much the simple phrase means to the New Orleans community, which is about to cheer for its hometown Saints in their first-ever Super Bowl.
WATCH A CUTE DOG POSSIBLY VIOLATING THE TRADEMARK
Reports the Times-Picayune:
Among the long list of things the NFL says is off-limits without a licensing agreement are some obvious violations like the New Orleans Saints’ official logo and the team’s name. But the one that stands out is “Who Dat.”
Noting a 1988 trademark the Saints registered with the Louisiana secretary of state, the NFL says it has exclusive rights to the phrase and demands that the retailers stop selling it.
Before it became a rallying cry of fans of the New Orleans Saints, Who Dat was used as a cheer by St. Augustine High School. And before that it was perhaps first heard in minstrel shows in the later 1800s.
By late afternoon Thursday, social media sites were plastered with status updates from Saints fans angered by the NFL’s move.
Full story WHO KNEW DAT? – Page 1 – NOLA.com
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When the Saints fans see Goodell this week at the Super Bowl festivaties, they should point at him and say “Who Dat?”
The NFL will be trademarking “Da Bearssss” next.
This nation is WAY over the top with lawsuititis. We have a scrawny park in our neighborhood that a bunch of kids use to play touch football. Since they like to puff a bit of pot after the game, they call the park ‘Invesco Field’, in honor of the ‘Mile-High’ stadium. Well, wouldn’t you know it, investment giant Invesco has filed restraining, and cease-and-desist orders, and is individually suing the captains of all the teams. These poor kids are only in beginning elementary school, but I guarantee you, if any Invesco execs show up in our town, they’ll get drop-kicked over the goal posts. (If any of you are worried about elementary students blowing weed, we feel lucky to have convinced them to hold-off on the grass until they graduated pre-school)
All football teams are immediately, jointly, applying for a copyright for the expression ‘F*** YOU’, so they can tell the NFL commissioner their opinion, without fear of a lawsuit.
That’s funny!