LSU cracking down on third-party merchandise ahead of Bama game
BATON ROUGE - Bengal's and Bandits, a shop just outside LSU's northern gates is preparing for the biggest game of the season.
"Bama is obviously one of our biggest weeks of the year," said owner Patrick Wilkerson. "We plan for it really a year in advance."
This year's a little different though, because of what happened with LSU's Devin White. After being ejected and banned from the first half of the Bama game for a controversial targeting penalty, LSU fans have been planning a "Whiteout" in protest.
"There's a lot of support and we've had customers request white... And we've actually increased some of our product and we'll be getting more in to accommodate that," Wilkerson said.
The whiteout has been tied in with the phrase, "Free Devin White", being featured on billboards around the SEC headquarters in Birmingham, but you won't find that slogan on a shirt here.
"Unfortunately, just due to restrictions, limitations from the university and the licensing departments, we aren't able to sell or to carry a product that would mention Devin White or his name or likeness in general," said Wilkerson.
According to the NCAA use of a current player's name, image, or likeness is not permitted on commercial products. The lack of "Free Devin White" apparel has prompted entrepreneurs to cash in, making and selling their own shirts.
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LSU licensing officials have already sent several cease and desist orders to people selling these shirts, and it doesn't just stop at using White's name. Here is a list of phrases trademarked by the university that you cannot use on your unlicensed merchandise.
LSU
Louisiana State University
LSU Tigers
Fighting Tigers
Tigers
Lady Tigers
Bayou Bengals
Geaux Tigers
Tiger Bait
Mike the Tiger
Tiger Stadium
Death Valley
Pete Maravich Assembly Center
Maravich Center
PMAC
Alex Box Stadium
Love Purple Live Gold
Stand Right Up and Roar