What can be done with this Domain Name, Legally? - geek/talk: Signature-free discourse for serious web publishers

theDirtiest · 08-13-2001, 06:52 AM

Recently a new stock car racing league was introduced. It is called the Team Racing Auto Circuit. Knowing www.trac.com was taken, I tried my luck with www.teamracingautocircuit.com. For some unknown reason the people who are starting this league did not buy the domain name, so I bought the .com and .net names. Would I be breaking any laws by creating a website related to this league? I recieve numerous emails from fans, drivers, mechanics, etc. inquiring about the league. Currently I just ingnore them, do to the fact I do not want to answer them in such a way I would put my self in a legal dispute.

If you would like any information about the plans of the league (I don't know why), here is a search query from yahoo. http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=...t%22&hc=0&hs=0

Thanks,

Jeff

Borga · 08-13-2001, 12:45 PM

Well, once they actually notice that you've got that domain name (if they haven't already) be prepared to lose it. I'm not familiar with the specific legal ins and outs of this type of situation, but I believe you're "cyber-squatting" and the legal currents have been such that if this eventually goes to court, you'll lose easily.

You're probably best off not to put much work into this site, because I don' t envision you owning that URL for too long.

theDirtiest · 08-13-2001, 01:05 PM

If I did do something with the site, I probably would only put a message board on it. Basically I am hoping they will make me an offer, but I wanted to know what type of legal action could be held against me if I did do anything with the site. Does anybody have any ideas as to what the domain name would be worth to them?

Borga · 08-13-2001, 07:45 PM

Probably they'd offer you what you paid to register the domain, if they wanted to take a hardline. After all, they could probably take you to court, win, and stick you with the costs. That would just be a pain in the behind, however.

Lil_Red · 08-13-2001, 08:25 PM

You may want to consider approaching them about developing the site and being the "official" site for team racing auto circuit. This creates goodwill and they may cover your costs to develop and host the site.

theDirtiest · 08-14-2001, 06:53 AM

I could do that, but I really don't have that much free time on my hands right now. I guess all I can do is sit and wait.

PlanetLaunch · 09-04-2001, 12:33 AM

In case you are still wondering about this domain name - unfortunately the term "team racing auto circuit" has been trademarked. Owners of a trademark have pretty solid legal rights to the domain name consisting of the trademark.

Details for the trademark are located here:
http://tess.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?...ate=nma6td.3.9

It is always a good idea to do a trademark search before registering a questionable domain name.

Best of Luck
PL

theDirtiest · 09-04-2001, 07:17 AM

thanks for the link.....

it seems they trademarked it the day before I bought the domain name. the league seems to be using www.traczone.com as their home page. they didn't buy www.traczone.net, so now I own that too.

oh well if my plan doesn't work. i would only be burned $45 dollars (for the 3 domain names).

08-13-2001, 06:52 AM	#1
theDirtiest Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 61	What can be done with this Domain Name, Legally? Recently a new stock car racing league was introduced. It is called the Team Racing Auto Circuit. Knowing www.trac.com was taken, I tried my luck with www.teamracingautocircuit.com. For some unknown reason the people who are starting this league did not buy the domain name, so I bought the .com and .net names. Would I be breaking any laws by creating a website related to this league? I recieve numerous emails from fans, drivers, mechanics, etc. inquiring about the league. Currently I just ingnore them, do to the fact I do not want to answer them in such a way I would put my self in a legal dispute. If you would like any information about the plans of the league (I don't know why), here is a search query from yahoo. http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=...t%22&hc=0&hs=0 Thanks, Jeff Last edited by theDirtiest; 08-13-2001 at 01:15 PM.

08-13-2001, 01:05 PM	#3
theDirtiest Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 61	If I did do something with the site, I probably would only put a message board on it. Basically I am hoping they will make me an offer, but I wanted to know what type of legal action could be held against me if I did do anything with the site. Does anybody have any ideas as to what the domain name would be worth to them? Last edited by theDirtiest; 08-13-2001 at 01:20 PM.

09-04-2001, 12:33 AM	#7
PlanetLaunch Registered User Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 200	In case you are still wondering about this domain name - unfortunately the term "team racing auto circuit" has been trademarked. Owners of a trademark have pretty solid legal rights to the domain name consisting of the trademark. Details for the trademark are located here: http://tess.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?...ate=nma6td.3.9 It is always a good idea to do a trademark search before registering a questionable domain name. Best of Luck PL Last edited by PlanetLaunch; 12-27-2001 at 04:15 PM.

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08-13-2001, 12:45 PM	#2
Borga Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Posts: 59	Well, once they actually notice that you've got that domain name (if they haven't already) be prepared to lose it. I'm not familiar with the specific legal ins and outs of this type of situation, but I believe you're "cyber-squatting" and the legal currents have been such that if this eventually goes to court, you'll lose easily. You're probably best off not to put much work into this site, because I don' t envision you owning that URL for too long.

08-13-2001, 07:45 PM	#4
Borga Registered User Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Ajax, Ontario, Canada Posts: 59	Probably they'd offer you what you paid to register the domain, if they wanted to take a hardline. After all, they could probably take you to court, win, and stick you with the costs. That would just be a pain in the behind, however.

08-13-2001, 08:25 PM	#5
Lil_Red Registered User Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 1,579	You may want to consider approaching them about developing the site and being the "official" site for team racing auto circuit. This creates goodwill and they may cover your costs to develop and host the site.

08-14-2001, 06:53 AM	#6
theDirtiest Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 61	I could do that, but I really don't have that much free time on my hands right now. I guess all I can do is sit and wait.

09-04-2001, 07:17 AM	#8
theDirtiest Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 61	thanks for the link..... it seems they trademarked it the day before I bought the domain name. the league seems to be using www.traczone.com as their home page. they didn't buy www.traczone.net, so now I own that too. oh well if my plan doesn't work. i would only be burned $45 dollars (for the 3 domain names).