Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Domain Names : NHL Demainding my domain name

[moonsee]

Alright, here is my question:

Today I received a letter from the NHL demanding that I IMMEDIATELY transfer my domain name to them and cease offering emails from it. The domain name is the full name of a hockey team .net. I registered it almost 6 months ago, so obviously they have no real interest in it.
I have never made any attempt to gain profit from the domain name, and actually offer free email accounts from the site. It was planned to become a full fledged fansite but I have not had the time as of yet.

Do I have any right to the domain name what-so-ever seeing as how it is the full name of the team?

At the least I would atleast appreciate them paying me for my registration. I won't even go into the fact that I got it some nice spots in search engines

[ATST]

Well, having the full name of an NHL team for a domain, is prolly not a good idea. Maybe 'teamnamefansite.com' would be better, and include a disclaimer at the bottom of all pages saying you are not affiliated in anyway with 'nameofteam'
After all, they are a registered franchise, plus they sell licensed merchadise, so I would think nobody should be using the name except for them. Just because a name is available doesn't mean you can use it.
Get a new domain right away and redirect it with a link to the new site so that the search engines can (hopefully) pick up your new location before you give the old domain away.

[flitcher]

When going up against a big company it would be best to just transfer the domain to them.

[dsotmoon]

Originally posted by flitcher
When going up against a big company it would be best to just transfer the domain to them.

I agree, I doubt you want to start a battle with the NHL

[ZiCmaN]

I guess I will agree! I have battled with a crappy clothing retailer (ehh) 40 + stores and LOST after a million threats etc, it was transferred to them by the registrar.

I had another come up the other week that I forgot about, but it was related to PAYPAL and the communication came from their new owners along with a small consideration to not use the name anymore. Actually I had not used it anyway so oh well.

Bottom line is you have plenty to do besides deal with the "suits"

[squirrel]

Originally posted by ZiCmaN
I guess I will agree! I have battled with a crappy clothing retailer (ehh) 40 + stores and LOST after a million threats etc, it was transferred to them by the registrar.

sounds like you do this on purpose.. hoping someone will pay you big money for the name?

[ZiCmaN]

Actually I don't. That would be called cybersquatting, right?

The first one has a real dumb yet "grungy, hip-hop" flair to it. It was registered for a client that specialized in hip-hop clothing. The client ran up about $8,000 in unpaid bills and all was suspended and the domain never even used. UNTIL, one day, someone claiming to be the IS ADMINISTRATOR for this particular company sent me an email stating, "we have made registration for this domain previously, but was registered incorrectly. we would like to know if you are using this domain and if not what would it take for us to own it?" I thought that the domain had probably expired, checked and it was still good. Irony here is this person sent me an email chocked full of bad grammer and bad spelling that it wasn't hard to believe that they spelled the domain name wrong across the board, the .com, .net & .org. This chain wasn't anywhere in our state much less my city at the time of the registration or at the company inquiry. I mean you know what the name of your company is right? Well, these folks spelled it wrong and they thought that they were locked but not.

Next, the second one is simple it is a payment provider and I wanted to have a site STRICTLY for taking that PAYMENT PROVIDERS PAYMENT and offering a service.

So, sorry dude, no squatting here and I have never received any $$$ for a domain name (except a pittance to reimburse me for registration fees and transfer).

[interactive]

Originally posted by squirrel


sounds like you do this on purpose.. hoping someone will pay you big money for the name?

its called Capitalism. If I were the owner of the name, I'd transfer it to a registar that I personally knew. I seriously doubt the NHL would take you to court (they have alot of money), just goto some big newspaper or news channel, they'll listen if you whine.

[ZiCmaN]

Damn Robert! Stop trying to cause trouble

[interactive]

LOL, not trying to cause trouble. Just trying to post my opinion, I personally like making a mockery out of big companies, who think they own the world cause they are "big".

[ZiCmaN]

hehe

[beachtrader]

You are going to lose the domain name.

Chances are the name of the team is a trademark (actually very doubtful it isn't) and you are infringing on their trademark. Basically this is the same situation as registering microsoft.net before Microsoft did and expecting them not to do anything about it.

[mattschinkel]

I think It might be hard for them to take it away from you. I would try to sell it to them. They will be shelling out a bit of cash to get you to court. I would think so anyways... I could be wrong

If your gonna give it away... I'll take it

[mrlarter]

have you asked the NHL if they will pay for the domain? it may be there name but you still paid for it. if its a franchise I really think the person owning it should register it if they do not want it taken.

at least try and get your money back....and a good idea is if they threaten to much go to the media..you spent your $8.95 I am sure the NHL will shill out some money to pervent the media from saying the team is a horrible monster

[beachtrader]

I tend to disagree with the last couple of comments. You may get your money back and that is about it. But it could be worse.

There have been a couple of instances where someone has registered a trademark for a company and then tried to sell it back to them for more than the registered price. The companies took a hard line and then usually proceeded with copyright violation cases against them. The companies in these instances ALL won their names back and the people did not even get their money back plus they paid lawyer fees.

And one final note, depending on the state you are in (the laws will vary) is to *not threaten* to go to the media with them. Threatening to go to the media if someone doesn't pay you want you want under some state laws is extortion and *is* a criminal act.