The NFL conceded it does not own the phrase “Who Dat” or the fleur-de-lis symbol in a Monday phone conference with Louisiana Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell.Local T-shirt shop Storyville was one of several stores in the state affected by the NFL’s original complaints. Storyville received a cease-and-desist order almost three weeks before being pardoned by the NFL.Storyville sales associate Lynn Austin, third-year law student, said sales boomed this week after winning the battle with the NFL and with the Super Bowl rapidly approaching.”It’s been pretty crazy,” Austin said. “But crazy is good.”Austin said the store printed more shirts Wednesday night, and people should be able to purchase them now.”The NFL conceded they have no exclusive ownership rights to the phrase ‘Who Dat’ or ‘Who Dat Nation’ or the fleur-de-lis symbol,” Caldwell said Monday. “I am working with the NFL to confirm, in writing, the commitments made by phone today.”The NFL apologized to Saints fans after issuing cease-and-desist orders to several state merchants selling Who Dat products. The NFL admitted its mistake, saying stores may sell Who Dat merchandise if they do not label them as NFL items.The cease-and-desist orders came amid a NFC championship victory and the franchise’s first trip to the Super Bowl, and the sudden Who Dat controversy caused a stir among fans and even local politicians.”I was happy to hear that the NFL has clarified that fans are free to use ‘Who Dat’ as they see fit and has acknowledged that it does not have exclusive copyright ownership over the phrase,” Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La., said in a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.Melancon mailed a petition to the NFL on Tuesday. He posted the petition on his Web site on Jan. 29, urging fans to take ownership of the chant. More than 10,000 fans answered Melancon’s call and signed the petition to the commissioner.”The Saints bring New Orleanians and all Louisianians together like nothing else can,” Melancon said. “Ten thousand signatures on this petition is a testament to how proud we all are of what our team has accomplished this season after waiting 42 years for this moment to come.”
——Contact Sabrina Trahan at [email protected]