In a move he says will “unify the state once and for all,” Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order today requiring every Louisiana school, from kindergarten through college, to adopt “Tigers” as their official mascot.
The order, which takes effect immediately, aims to “streamline statewide enthusiasm” and eliminate what Landry called “dangerous levels of mascot diversity.”
“Whether you’re a Bulldog, a Rebel, or whatever Lafayette thinks it is this week, you’re a Tiger now,” Landry reportedly told reporters before leading an impromptu chant of “L S U” in the Capitol rotunda.
The decision follows recent headlines about the University of New Orleans preparing to rejoin the LSU system and revealing new purple-and-gold “LSU New Orleans” logos. Critics say the timing of Landry’s order raises questions about how much of the state will soon just be LSU.
This is not the first time the governor has pushed for statewide rebranding. Earlier this year, he reportedly issued an executive order to rename Louisiana as “Landriana,” citing “efficiency in identity and pronunciation.”
State officials praised the latest order as a cost-saving measure, noting that one standardized logo could cut “millions in unnecessary spirit wear expenses.”
Opponents argue the change could erase decades of local identity and tradition, but Landry dismissed those concerns, saying, “We’re not erasing anyone’s heritage, we’re just correcting it.”
Sources say enforcement begins with pep rallies.