It’s officially “The Ohio State University.”
The school was awarded the trademark for “the” on June 21. The initial application for the trademark was filed in August of 2019. and that request was rejected.
Here’s what the school had to say about the trademark:
“Ohio State is pleased to have received a trademark for THE on branded products associated with and sold through athletics and collegiate channels. THE has been a rallying cry in the Ohio State community for many years, and Buckeye fans who purchase official Ohio State gear support student scholarships, libraries and other university initiatives,” an official statement from the Ohio State reads. “Like other institutions, Ohio State works to protect the university’s brand and trademarks because these assets benefit students and faculty, and support our core academic mission of teaching and research. Ohio State’s trademark and licensing program generates an average of over $12.5 million annually in revenue for the university, which funds student scholarships and university programs.”
Get ready to see a deluge of merchandise being released soon featuring “The.”