NFL Bans All On-Field Ads After “Slap Ya Mama” Flap

After banning a Cajun food company from sponsoring the New Orleans Saints, the NFL has now banned any and all on-field advertisements in the final 32 preseason broadcasts, despite initially claiming they had no say in local productions. That means a lot of local businesses like “Slap Ya Mama” will not get what is typically their best exposure all year. Everyone believes this all has to do with the fallout of the NFL’s Ray Rice suspension, but a league memo about the incident  claims “certain advertisers and brands are not consistent with League standards and messaging”

“[V]irtual signage can detract from the game telecast and create a less desirable viewing experience for fans watching…[T]he league does not permit virtual signage in national game telecasts, and its presence in local preseason telecasts, combined with those games’ increased national exposure, creates both a widening standards gap between the league’s national broadcast partners and preseason telecast stations and a resulting variance in quality.”

“We’ve been doing this for three years with no complaints. People who know our brand ‘get it’ but all of a sudden, after three years, the NFL doesn’t. We are really shaking our heads over this one! We’re fun loving and enjoy great tasting food. We also love football, especially Saints football! Maybe they just don’t understand our culture. What a shame!”

The company says the name is very popular, and the brand has quite the Facebook following. They are also currently attempting to #SlapOutTheDome by having as many fans wearing their T-shirts atThursday night’s game. But it won’t matter, as the NFL isn’t going to tolerate a name one person might find offensive, despite the fact that an overwhelming majority doesn’t think it is or the fact that some consider it a part of their culture and tradition.

Read more at the New Orleans Advocate.