Who Owns ‘TXST’?
January 14, 2011
Four simple letters. While so many on the outside of Bobcat culture do the obvious and abbreviate the name of Texas State University to TSU, the university since day one of the name change has been fighting for an abbreviation other than TSU to avoid infringing upon Texas Southern University and possibly Tarleton State University. Texas State finally settled on the powerful looking ‘TXST’ that so many Bobcats will proudly proclaim when someone on the outside references Texas State with the TSU acronym. But this begs the question, who owns ‘TXST’?
The TXST abbreviation used by Texas State is actually a registered trademark licensed to the university by the Old Grey Foundation, Inc., a charitable foundation created in 2005 by alumni of the Texas State Rugby Club. The designation TXST has been used informally since the rebranding of the university from Southwest Texas University in 2003.
In 2004 the Texas State Rugby Club began using the TXST designation for their t-shirts, stickers and promotions. According to Rugby Club Coach and Old Grey Foundation Secretary Scot Courtney, the university still had failed to trademark TXST by 2008, and so the Old Grey Foundation took it upon itself to file for a registered trademark on March 4, 2008 and was granted the trademark in July 7, 2009.
“Apparently the school didn’t see this as something worth having,” Courtney said. “But our goals are parallel with the schools so we see this as something that can benefit the student body.”
The agreement allows the university to use the TXST trademark in all press releases, marketing materials, advertising, communications, signage, social networking or other legitimate uses connected with Texas State University-San Marcos and its departments. ASG Vice President Colter Ray agrees that the agreement is very generous and thinks that there would be no reason that it should be discontinued in the future.
“It’s a very broad agreement that allows anyone to use it as long as it is not used to generate profit,” Ray said. “And what makes it so attractive is the low cost: $500 for three years of use.”
Courtney sees the TXST trademark’s value as something that will grow with the university and provide more opportunities for the student body.
“We thought that it might be of value in the future,” Courtney said. “So of course we wanted to connect it to the foundation. Our goals are parallel with the university.” Courtney said. “If at some point the school wished to continue the agreement or possibly purchase the trademark, the benefits of these actions will stay within the university.”
Courtney ultimately envisions a situation in which the Old Grey Foundation creates a rugby scholarship from the proceeds of future agreements.
The TXST trademark was filed on March 4, 2008 and granted on July 7, 2009 with the U.S. Reg. No. 3,649,427.
Why not TXSU…that makes more sense to me??
If there are already two TSUs, why not have three?
To me, TXST sounds stupid, and doesn’t have the appeal of “TSU”.
OSU, FSU, PSU…….. TXST?
I’m not feelin’ it.
More importantly, who cares about Tarleton or Texas Southern? Why even assign them so much importance as to care about “infringing” on their names? Are you kidding me with that? Do we REALLY think people are going to mistake us for those two institutions when we’re playing a bowl game on ESPN and someone says, “TSU” ?
Has anyone even checked to see if “TSU” is trademarked? Can you stop another university from using an abbreviation if it legitimately matches your school’s name?
Even the suggestion above by Kim, “TXSU” makes more sense.
PLEASE do not use TXST.
Keep txst it looks powerful and it sets us apart from the other “state” schools. Our goal is not to be like penn state or florida state, it is to set ourselves apart and move past mediocrity. You want something that is different so people remember it.
clearly no one here goes to texas state, or knows the rugby traditions here. otherwise, you would all realize how bad ass txst is
TXSU sounds retarded for starters and why do we want to copy all the other universities w TSU when TXST has already been uesd all around campus and can only be used by us so why not make good use of it
ummm… who cares?
If someone said: “TXST” to you on the street, would you even realize they were referring to a university? Sounds like an STD to me… But hey… maybe that’s fitting
Just jokes yall.
On the streets most still say Texas State University I dont recall ever hearing TXST out of someones mouth. Ive seen/own tshirts with TXST and It just looks badass. It makes for a sweet logo to put on clothing and apparel instead of having Texas State wrote out since we lost privleges to use the overlaying T, S and star.
The school rebranded itself as ‘Texas State’. Yes, the full name of the school is ‘Texas State University – San Marcos’, but that’s not what comes out of your mouth when a friend asks you what school you’re going to.
There’s four major terms that state universities use in their names.
1. U of ___
2. __ Tech
3. __ A&M
4. __ State
With the re-branding, the school grabbed the last of these four. It’s pulling the university up the ladder in name alone. It doesn’t mean the school is any different immediately, but there have already been results in the first six years. Enrollment, revenue, brand awareness, we’re even headed for the WAC, something that was out of the question 10 years ago.
‘Texas State’. Three syllables. That’s how ESPN commentators and alumni will refer to the school. TXST is the most direct abbreviation, and avoids any possible confusion with Texas Southern – Even now, after attending Texas State for years, I associate TSU with Southern, not State.
Oh, and TXST looks way better than TSU or TXSU. It’s nearly symmetrical. TXXT. Regardless of what your personal opinion is, this is the direction we’re going in. And it’s the right one.