Augusta National Golf Club in September "filed for two trademarks" to CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz' "familiar phrase 'A Tradition Unlike Any Other,'" according to Rovell & Harig of ESPN.com. One trademark that "would tie the mark" to The Masters "asserts that Augusta National's first use of it came" in '89. It is "believed Nantz first used it leading up to his first Masters broadcast" in '86. The second trademark is to "use the phrase on everything from shirts and pants to dresses, sleepwear and headwear." Nantz' agent Sandy Montag on Thursday said that to his knowledge, his client "was not aware that the club had registered for the mark, but that it presented no issue." ESPN and CBS televise The Masters, but Augusta National "actually owns the broadcast." That means, by the "transitive property, Augusta National actually owns Nantz's famous phrase anyway." An Augusta National spokesperson said that because Nantz is "part of the Masters broadcast, he would not be prohibited from using the phrase." It is "unclear how the trademark filing could affect Nantz if he wanted to use the phrase outside of the broadcast." Augusta National is "selling at least one item -- a retro T-shirt -- bearing the phrase in its merchandise tent this year" (ESPN.com, 4/9).
