Why are Buccaneers suing Saints? Bitter NFC South rivalry spills into court of law

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints don't like each other by any means. From the intra-division rivalry to the fights of Mike Evans and Marshon Lattimore, every time these two teams meet, you can bet there will be blood.

They're now fighting on a totally different sphere, though. According to The Bucs Wire, the Buccaneers are suing the Saints to stop the New Orleans team from trademarking the phrase Saints Cheer Krewe, which could be confused with a Tampa Bay trademarked phrase from 2021.

Trademark Attorney Josh Gerben tweeted on Friday that the Bucs are suing the Saints in an attempt to block them from trademarking the phrase “Saints Cheer Krewe” in relation to its cheerleaders. The Bucs contend that it clashes with its own use of the word “Krewe” in numerous aspects of its branding.

The phrase “Krewe” is a phrase used to describe an organization that heads a parade. The term is most famously used in conjunction with Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but it’s also used in the context of Tampa’s Gasparilla celebration it holds every year.

The Bucs trademarked the phrase in 2021 and have used it as a sort of play on words to refer to its fans in numerous aspects like in promotional materials, clothing branding and marketing, among other things.

The issue with the lawsuit is that trademark attorney Josh Gerben believes it could be resolved with a quick discussion between the two parties, but now they're going to court.

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When will Saints and Buccaneers play in 2023?

The rivalry is as strong as ever, but things will look much different this season after the Buccaneers won't have Tom Brady on the field - just like the Saints aren't playing with Drew Brees for the first time since the 2021 season.

Their first of two meetings in the 2023 regular season is set to occur in Week 4, when the Buccaneers travel to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. In Week 17, on New Year's Eve, the Saints will be playing at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay.