St. Louis Cardinals fans have gone, well, nuts over the “Rally Squirrel” and businesses are cashing in on the squirrel fever.
After a gray squirrel stole the show and interrupted two games against the Philadelphia Phillies during the World Series by streaking across home plate, fans have been attributing the Cardinals’ victories to the creature, an unexpected mascot of postseason for the team.
However, there is no copyright law associated with the squirrel’s image. Because of this, vendors can sell squirrel-centered products as long as they bear no trademarked material, such as the Cardinals logo. The market is flooding with squirrel-related gear, squirrel-shaped chocolates and squirrel costumes. A fan even created a Rally Squirrel Twitter account, feeding the frenzy.
“Once again, a gimmick came up,” Amy Spetner Doughty, a vendor selling faux fur squirrel tails and other squirrel-related products to fans, told St. Louis Today. “That was kind of lucky. And there’s no copyright on it.”
While businesses take advantage of the lack of copyright for the squirrel image, the St. Louis Cardinals may need another appearance from the Rally Squirrel, after the team lost to the Texas Rangers Thursday night.
