Company tries to get leg up in new TLD process with trademarks.
I’ve written a couple times about prospective new top level domain applicants trying to trademark the names of their proposed TLD (e.g. .eco).
But it appears dotSport LLC, one of the companies going after what will likely be a competition for .sport, is being quite aggressive.
According to filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the company has tried to register DotSport, RegistryDotSport, Life.Sport, and Registry.Sport, and a couple logos.
Its first two applications for DotSport and RegistryDotSport were denied. But then the U.S.P.T.O. allowed the trademark for Life.Sport, a graphical logo of DotSport, and a graphical logo.
There’s just one problem. dotSport filed these applications as “intent to use” since .sport doesn’t exist yet. Once the applications were allowed, dotSport had six months to file showing that it was now using the marks in commerce. Yet new TLDs still aren’t here, so the company has had to ask for additional 6-month extensions. You can request up to five extensions. I wonder if new TLDs will come out in time?
The company is still trying to get approval for Registry.Sport. It filed an application on January 29, 2009 that is currently denied for being descriptive. It filed another application for Registry.Sport on May 5, 2010.
These trademarks could create some problems given that at least one other entity is trying to get .sport as a top level domain name. If dotSport LLC loses, would the other registry be infringing on dotSport LLC’s marks?
Craig says
I just sent you an email regarding my new TLD related trademark.
It will be interesting to see what role trademarks play with regard to new TLDs.
SL says
I don’t get it. What does “fam” stand for?
Craig says
Fam is an abbreviation of Family. DotFam.net is one of the organizations that will be applying for the .Fam extension. Please note that I am not affiliated with DotFam.net.
jon says
If they don’t win .sport, then they won’t be able to ‘use it in commerce’ and their trademark will be invalid.
I suspect they know that and that this is really just an attempt to scare people off.
SL says
@Craig: Ok, I see. Just guessing but it must be some type of Disney initiative. Seems way to close to their established dotfamily.com property to be unrelated.
newTLDs.TV says
@SL A list of new TLDs and their description, applicant name website is available at http://www.newtlds.tv/newtlds/
Jean Guillon says
Hi there, find another list here : http://registries.tel
Regards,
Jean
Tom Barrett says
Hey guys,
all of these sports-related trademarks are perfectly usable even if .sport never happens.
There is nothing stopping the owner from starting to use these trademarks in commerce today.
Tom Barrett
EnCirca
Andrew Allemann says
@ Tom – not if your class is for providing domain name registry services. Technically, USPTO has decided that you cannot trademark a TLD.
Tom Barrett says
None of these proposed trademarks mention the .sport TLD. There is no reason why they should be denied and can be used today to sell existing extensions.
LIFE.SPORT.
IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Marketing, advertising and promotion services; providing marketing and advertising consultation services; providing market research and information services; providing marketing data; creation of marketing tools designed to increase a client company’s knowledge of customer needs and to provide competitive market information; advertising and information distribution services, namely, providing advertising space via the global computer network; promoting the goods and services of others over the Internet
IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: Computer services, namely, hosting online web facilities for others for organizing and conducting online meetings, gatherings, and interactive discussions; and computer services in the nature of customized web pages featuring user-defined information, personal profiles and information
IC 045. US 100 101. G & S: Internet based introduction and social networking services
dotsport(logo): Registration of sponsored domain names to serve the sports and recreation communities on a global computer network
REGISTRY.SPORT. Registration of sponsored domain names to serve the sports and recreation communities on a global computer network