Ohio State University trademarks the word **THE**

[irisblue]

Yes the word THE

Link to tweet

[gratuitous]

1. THE epitome of pomposity

So if anyone violates their trademark, will the university send Woody Hayes to sucker punch them?

[irisblue]

2. From the above article

snip-"Ohio State has successfully registered a trademark on the most common word in the English language.

After nearly three years of trying, The Ohio State University has now successfully registered a trademark for the word "THE," which it uses in various kinds of apparel and marketing, according to trademark attorney Josh Gerben."

snip-"Since then, Ohio State showed the USPTO that it was not using the trademark in a "merely ornamental" manner and settled the dispute with Marc Jacobs, with the two sides agreeing that they could both own a trademark for the word "THE."

With those issues solved, the USPTO granted Ohio State a Class 25 trademark for use on clothing – specifically t-shirts and hats – with all of the apparel being "promoted, distributed and sold through channels customary to the field of sports and collegiate athletics."

more at article.

[Faux pas]

3. ...

[Dr. Strange]

13. Please refrain from using that smiley.

As you are aware, the "T" in WTF refers to "The" which has been registered by The Ohio State University, and as such you are in violation of our trademark. You may repost the smiley without the letter "T". Failure to heed our warning will result in great lamentations of your family and kin.

Govern yourself accordingly.

[Faux pas]

14. Lol

I thought it meant "what that fella?".

[irisblue]

18. Ok, I chuckled at that.

[A HERETIC I AM]

30. People that think Ohio State sucks look FORWARD to your lamentation

[ArnoldLayne]

36. I'm from Ohio I admit it but I love The Ohio State Buckeyes

I like your post though Dr. Strange.

[Celerity]

40. lol, well played

[irisblue]

4. from my thread in the Ohio group

THE arrogance in claiming THE most common word in English as a marketing tool

To make more money for a very very financially secure university
The university's endowment of $6.8 billion in 2021 is among the largest in the world.
Endowment: $6.8 billion (2021)
Parent institution: University System of Ohio
Location: Columbus, Ohio, United States
https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki

[underpants]

5. Go! THE Buckeyes!!!!

[tavernier]

27. GO BLUE

[ArnoldLayne]

38. Boo Blue

[msfiddlestix]

6. WTF does the word THE stand for in the context of a sports brand?

[irisblue]

7. Ohio State University started using the term THE Ohio State University in it's numerous sports

events over the last 20ish years. If you listen to any broadcast of a game, the announcers stress that word before the Ohio State part.
It has now become a marketing tool to sell more gear to a very faithful rabid fan base.
It will make $

[Floyd R. Turbo]

23. It has been "The Ohio State University" since 1878!

[Brenda]

24. No kidding.

It's my alma mater from way back and it was always TOSU.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

28. Yep! 🙆🏼🙌🏻🙏🏻🙆🏼

[msfiddlestix]

52. But it's an article that comes before most nouns. THE Warriors, THE NFL, THE President, etc etc

For Effing sakes. How in the Hell do we have such DUMB ASSES in ANY OFFICE in this "great" country?

[Ms. Toad]

33. Trademarks are source identifiers.

The, used in connection with T-shirts, hats, and whatever else was in the class connected with the registration as being from THE Ohio state (the source). If those items.

[AngryOldDem]

8. My alma mater, THE University of Dayton, beat OSU in the NCAA basketball tourney...

This was a few years ago, the first time in a long time UD did so. The next day, the front-page headline of the Dayton Daily News said, “THE University of Dayton” in about 72-pt. type.

The paper sold copies suitable for framing. Just an epic troll.

[irisblue]

9. 🤣🤣🤣 yeah, OSU is quite arrogant

[ArnoldLayne]

39. I know we.... I mean they are arrogant considering we

can't beat Florida or any other SEC team in the big game.

[Maeve]

10. As pointed out above, the University has been using this

Emphasizing that they are "THE"Ohio State, not just AN Ohio state university...began back in the day when all the colleges were state supported to point out their own preeminence. Yeah, pompous, but
Now it's just marketing. Gotta make the school worth the big bucks now that the state doesn't contribute like it did once. (Full disclosure...two degrees from OSU from the state supported days, never needed loans back then)
(Also...never watch sports, don't care about marketing)

[Sneederbunk]

11. Education dollars at work.

[Novara]

12. Pompous preening pricks

[Xavier Breath]

15. THE pompous preening pricks.

[Novara]

16. LOL

[ArnoldLayne]

41. Lol

[LiberalFighter]

17. The stupid Buckeyes?

[Ms. Toad]

19. With out checking-

Pretty sure there are severe limitations on their ability to prohibit others from using it.

There will be a limited number of classes in which use is exclusive
It will only be restricted when used in conjunction with Ohio State, or a particular image.

I'll ETA after I check out the mark.

ETA: The exclusived source identifier is limited to a single class: IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Clothing, namely, t-shirts, baseball caps and hats; all of the foregoing being promoted, distributed, and sold through channels customary to the field of sports and collegiate athletics. FIRST USE: 20050800. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20050800s

I am surprised that it isn't limited to use in conjunction with the rest of the name or a logo.

So - if you still want to use THE as a source identifier for a hamburger, or a power tool, or anything not listed above, go for it.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

22. Easy there! You're going to ruin everyone's outrage with your logic and common sense!

[Ms. Toad]

32. Sorry. Ocupational hazard. N/t

[Floyd R. Turbo]

49. 😁

[ZonkerHarris]

20. Fuck THE Buckeyes

[Floyd R. Turbo]

50. The Ohio State University Buckeyes decline, without comment, your offer! 😏

[Floyd R. Turbo]

21. Much ado about nothing!

[Brenda]

25. Sometimes

The lady doth protest too much

[Floyd R. Turbo]

29. Indeed! 😁

[Torchlight]

26. I don't think trademarking it is a very good look

for a university concerned about image. No doubt, they'll sea-lion it as necessary image-branding.

[irisblue]

31. Money, new shirts & stuff to sell to the fan base.

[madinmaryland]

34. I'd like to trademark the workday "FUCK" so I can tell everyone to fuck off!

[irisblue]

35. Too late. Someone is on it.

Link to tweet

[mackdaddy]

43. Story told to me as to where the THE came from...

First this was over 30 years ago, and the guy was from Michigan, so there might have been some bias...

So, the university highers a sign painter to paint the university name on the side of the big water tower on campus. The sign painter asks, so exactly what do you want it to say?

The OSU representative says "DUUUHH, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY".

So that is what the sign painter painted, and it has been that way ever since.....

[ArnoldLayne]

44. Do you know what we Ohioan's say what a Buckeye is?

"A Worthless Nut" they are poisonous. No Squirrel, Chipmunk or any animal will eat them. Only ones that do are the younger folks. Thats why we are all a little touched in the head in Ohio.

[VGNonly]

45. As in

"THE OSU Sex Abuse Scandal" ?

Fry Gym!

[ArnoldLayne]

46. We don't claim Gym Jordan. I heard he's originally from

Ann Arbor Michigan.

[irisblue]

48. Born in Urbana Ohio-

James Daniel Jordan
February 17, 1964 (age 58)
Urbana, Ohio, U.S.

BS at University of Wisconsin–Madison
MA at (THE) Ohio State University
JD at Capital University ( which is a private law school in Columbus)

In a 2018 interview, Jordan said he never took the bar examination.


all this is from his wiki page.
Sadly that mofo is from Ohio.

[Deminpenn]

47. Is there another Ohio State University

from which it needs to be distinguished by a capitalized "the"?

[ripcord]

51. It is a good thing for Chicago football that they are Da Bears and not The Bears

Maybe they need to rush and register "da" as a trademark.

[moonshinegnomie]

53. you cant spell c*cks*ck*r without OSU

just saying....