Domain registered at least 6 years before hockey league was created.
No surprise here: a National Arbitration Forum panel has determined that a case against StinkySocks.com was a stinker.
Complainant The Trimount Company, Inc DBA StinkySocks Hockey, runs an adult hockey league in Boston. It started using the StinkySocks name as early as 2006.
The problem is that the owner of the domain name registered it in 2000. Thus, there was no way it registered the domain name in bad faith so it could charge the hockey league a lot of money to buy the domain name later.
Case closed.
The hockey league’s website states:
We’re a Boston area adult hockey league with players who have a passion for the game. No jerks, just good hockey from a league that cares… this is hockey, redefined.
They might not be jerks on the ice, but someone in management that decided to file this case exhibited his inner jerk.
Meyer says
It is good to see that the panelist made a judgment without prejudice because the domain owner did not respond. I speculate that sometimes the panelist feels the domain owner knows they are guilty when the owner does not respond.
I further speculate that the owner did not respond since it would cost him a min. $ 1,500. and write his own response. And up to $ 5,000. if he has to hire a lawyer.