[nhebb]

Ohio State University recently tried to trademark the word "The". Thankfully they were denied.

[LanceH]

Sometimes a denial is success, though. It means nobody else can swoop in, trademark it and prevent you from using it.

[nhebb]

Good point. Someone on r/cfb made the same point, but the idea of marketing "The" caps and shirts was still widely mocked, even by OSU diehards.

[icebraining]

They're not the only ones trying to trademark THE: https://trademarks.justia.com/884/16/the-88416806.html