This is the biggest week yet for new TLDs (16 domains!)

16 domains hit the market this week.

At the end of last month, I wrote about how the next 50 days would be important for new TLDs.

Within that 50 days, this week is perhaps the biggest: 16 domain names will enter general availability.

Call it Launch Week, and it’s really big for two of the portfolio applicants who launch their first owned-and-operated batches.

Let’s get to it.

Monday

It’s a big day for publicly traded Minds + Machines (LSE: MMX).

Last week they launched .London, but that was as a partner. Today they launch 6 owned-and-operated top level domain names in general availability: .cooking, .country, .fishing, .horse, .rodeo and .vodka.

All at once on the same day. Pins and needles at the M + M offices? Surely a lot of excitement. I’m sure all of those guys on the stock boards discussing the company will be eager to see the first day numbers.

There’s also a bit of excitement in the desert today as .Vegas hits general availability. At about $50 a domain, the wagers won’t be much higher than a blackjack game. You don’t have to live in Las Vegas, nor do you have to be 21, to play this game.

Today is also launch day for Afilias’ .Organic. I don’t expect this domain to do as well as Afilias’ color domains (which have done poorly). The domain is only open to company’s that meet eligibility requirements, and you’ll have to certify yourself prior to going live with your domain. In other words, don’t bother buying these domains as an investment.

Wednesday

Radix launches its first three domain names on Wednesday, including a the broadly-appealing .website.

.Website is priced around $10-$15. It’s a good generic domain, if you’re OK with someday competing with .site and .web. For now, I think it will do really well.

Radix is also launching .press and .host this Wednesday.

There’s also the usual release of Donuts domains on Wednesday.

.Loans, .Life, .Guide and .Church exit EAP, while .direct and .place enter EAP.

Finally, Rightside will release .republican on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if this domain takes off faster than .democrat, which only has about 1,000 registrations after three months.

(Thanks, as always, to Calzone)