Let’s start with something so silly, that it actually is aggravating — THE Ohio State University waging a decade-long IP war before the US Patent and Trademark Office to trademark the definite article, “the” — which, for reasons known only to the ether (or perhaps graft), was somehow granted.
Rich Eisen, a UM alum and now the linchpin of NBC’s digital coverage has some thoughts. LOL.
Ignore prior art, the lack of any transformative use, or the fact that permitting a trademark for “the” doesn’t diminish confusion among brands, it fosters it, this is just absolutely asinine, pompous, and weakens IP law for further subsequent attempts by other actors.