When the NFL started sending cease and desist orders to people selling t-shirts reading the unofficial “Who Dat” slogan of the New Orleans Saints, some people scratched their head and wondered how the league could claim rights to the phrase.
Those people will be pleased to hear that the NFL has clarified its stand on such merchandise in the wake of a letter from Louisiana Senator David Vitter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell complaining about the league’s actions. Jeffrey A. Miller, the NFL’s V.P. of government relations and public policy, sent a letter to Vitter adressing the concerns.
“Contrary to public reports,” the letter states, “the NFL has not sought to exclude all uses of the word ‘WHO DAT’ or the fleur-de-lis logo. Rather, the NFL has sent out narrowly targeted letters, challenging the sale of products bearing the fleur-de-lis and ‘WHO DAT’ marks only when those products contain or are advertised using other trademarks or identifiers of the Saints.”
Reading between the lines, it would seem that a shirt or other merchandise that avoids the Saints logo, team colors or Tom Benson’s parasol should be just fine. You can also be sure that there will be plenty of “official” merch with the phrase awaiting fans when they hit the souvenir stands during Super Bowl week.
