The Ohio State University’s Federal Trademark Registration for “THE” - Can They Do That?

Graduates of The Ohio State University (“Ohio State”) are familiar with fans and supporters (and sometimes, Michigan fans) placing an emphasis on the “THE” when saying the school’s name. But the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (“USPTO”) recent decision to grant federal trademark registration No. 6,763,118 to Ohio State for the most popular word in the English language has garnered much mainstream media attention and confusion. This blog post provides a brief overview of the background and potential implications of this registration.