NFL Returns To Threatening Local New Orleans Businesses Over Fleur De Lis
More than a decade ago, it came to our attention that the NFL was out in the streets of New Orleans threatening small businesses for the crime of using New Orleans related language alongside the use of images of the fleur de lis. Those actions were quite silly, given that the symbol and much of the language in question is part of the broader and general culture surrounding New Orleans, but that didn’t keep the NFL from trying to appropriate all of that culture for its own purposes, no matter whether the “offending” uses did anything to actually confuse the public into thinking the NFL or Saints were somehow involved.
And then things got quiet for a decade. Recently, however, it seems that the NFL and its lawyers have decided to get back up to their old tricks. A small apparel company, DNO, and its chief brand of “Defend New Orleans,” have come under threat from the league via cease and desist notices.
Nola.com’s Stephanie Riegel reports that the NFL has issued a cease-and-desist order to the New Orleans-based apparel brand DNO, claiming that its long-running “Defend New Orleans” logo infringes on a trademark owned by the league. Popular with New Orleans Saints fans, the logo features a spiked skull wearing a fleur-de-lis, often portrayed in black and gold. DNO founder Jac Currie began selling apparel with the signature logo in 2003.
As the source post notes, the NFL’s last attempt at this kind of bullying ended in it withdrawing its threats after local New Orleans elected officials got involved and put a stop to it. As was the case a decade ago, the apparel in question really does not cause the mind to associate the images with the team, even if Saints fans enjoy wearing the gear. Instead, portrayed is a skull, often times with spikes on its top, and with a fleur de lis emblazoned on its side. Does it look a bit like a football helmet with a logo on it? Sure, maybe, but that’s not what it actually is. See an example below for yourself and decide whether this looks like anything resembling the New Orleans Saints branding or imagery.
For context, that is the closest example I could find to looking like anything the NFL could be concerned about. The rest of the catalogue is even less offending in terms of any similarity to the team’s iconography. Fortunately, DNO appears to be prepared to defend itself.
Currie’s attorney Scott Sternberg argues, as Caldwell did in 2010, that the NFL has no claim to the logo given its historical significance to the city. He wrote: “The fleur-de-lis has been synonymous with New Orleans since its founding in 1718. It has been featured on the city’s official flag since 1918. The area was named for Phillippe II the Duke of Orleans, whose family coat of arms used the fleur-de-lis.”
The NFL is an infamous trademark bully, so I can’t say this is entirely surprising. That being said, hopefully it won’t take local officials getting involved yet again to make this all go away.