Ohio State Buckeyes win trademark right to the word 'the'

If you've ever watched Monday Night Football, you have probably heard former Ohio State football players proudly announce their school as "The Ohio State University," with an emphasis on the word "the," pronounced with the long "e" like "thee."

That simple article has become part of Ohio State's culture and the university has successfully registered a trademark for "THE." The trademark, which was initially applied for in August, 2019, took three years to get approved and will apply to any application on clothing and apparel.

So, while the Buckeyes don't own the word "the," it is one of the more unique trademarks.

Josh Gerben is a trademark attorney and founder of Gerben Intellectual Property…