The Lone Star Showdown is the traditional rivalry for all varsity men's and women's athletics competitions between Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin. The name comes from Lone Star State, which is the nickname of the state of Texas. The "Lone Star Showdown" moniker was trademarked in 1996. Being the two oldest public universities in the State of Texas, the two schools are rivals in most major sports (primarily football). Both universities boast large living alumni bases (over 665,000) and a significant following from supporters throughout the state and nation.