Ohio State and Michigan are clashing again, but this time the battleground is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The Ohio State University recently filed a formal opposition to block Ann Arbor-based The Brown Jug, Inc. from trademarking the phrase “Buckeye Tears” for use on beer and liquor products, according to a report by CBS Sports.
Ohio State argued that the proposed trademark could mislead consumers into believing the university was affiliated with the alcohol products, per the court documents. The school’s attorneys claim the financial weight of the Ohio State brand, noting its licensing program has generated more than $145 million in royalties and $2.2 billion in retail sales over the past decade. They also raised concerns that tying alcohol directly to Buckeye athletics could tarnish the university’s reputation and dilute its well-known trademarks…