National Football League

Who Dat? Inc. sues NFL Properties, Saints, La.

Published Mar. 6, 2010 2:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

The company that made a 1983 recording of what became one of the New Orleans Saints' most popular cheers has filed a trademark suit against the state and the team.

NFL Properties LLC, which deals with National Football League trademarks, is also a defendant in the suit filed Thursday in federal district court in Baton Rouge by Who Dat? Inc.

It claims the defendants damaged its right to profit before the Saints' Super Bowl championship last month.

NFL Properties claimed rights to the phrase and the fleur-de-lis, which the team uses as a logo. But it backed down after state Attorney General James D. "Buddy'' Caldwell said both are public domain.

Caldwell told The Times-Picayune on Friday he stands by that: nobody owns the right to either.