Anywhere outside of New Orleans, the word "krewe" is just a typo, but that hasn't stopped a Saints rival from laying claim to the word.
After the New Orleans Saints attempted to trademark "Saints Cheer Krewe," the new name for their dance team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took legal action to block it, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben who documented the saga on Twitter.
The Saints dance team was previously called the Saintsations, a name that was changed with input from fans during the 2021 season. The Buccaneers claim use "krewe" for their loyalty program, which includes posters, calendars, trading cards and other general marketing concepts. The claim priority in the trademark ownership due to having used the term first.
It's a bizarre ownership attempt, considering krewe is a word exclusively associated with groups who participate in New Orleans mardi gras parades. The word can be traced back as far as the mid 1800s as it pertains to New Orleans Mardi Gras.
Still that hasn't stopped the Bucs from laying claim, likely due to concerns over potential challenges from the Saints should they be granted a trademark on the term.
The legal challenge could end up in court, but both sides could -- and most likely will -- agree to a settlement and co-existence agreement, as Gerben explains.
The Saints and Bucs face off in Week 4 at the Caesars Superdome, then again in Week 17 at Raymond James Stadium in the 2023 season.
Related
