Ohio State University, which refers to Ohio Stadium as the Horseshoe or “The Shoe,” has sued the Horseshoe Cincinnati casino over its attempt in 2013 to register its own use of “The Shoe” for its concert venue.
The university registered “The Shoe” as a trademark in 2006 and uses it on articles of clothing, artwork, etc. and has done so for almost 20 years.
The university seeks to block the application to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office because, it says, the casino is in direct competition for entertainment dollars since both offer concerts featuring nationally known entertainers such as Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis & the News and Chicago.
The casino is undergoing an ownership change from Caesars Entertainment Corp. and Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, to sole ownership Gilbert.
