According to website of National Arbitration Forum (http://domains.adrforum.com/decision.aspx) following conditions must be met: Now, if you think that in case that the NFL will open a case to transfer your domain to them you can defend at least on of this conditions then you have a fair chance to keep your domain. how long is your domain name (is nfl a important part of your domain name) is your business that you make with this domain related to NFL or totally non related do you own a trademark for your domain name All this are questions that can influence your success in case of dispute.
Having a domain name with the letters NFL is never a copyright issue. But it can be a trademark infringement issue. The real question, really, is "why do I want to register the name?". The answer to that will help answer your question as to whether it'll potentially infringe an existing trademark right.
Yeah this is dicey. I don't know how aggressive the NFL goes after people who use the NFL in the name, but just by having NFL in the name the conditions of a violation could be met as you are trying to pass yourself off as something you are not. I see no need to use NFL in a domain name for a football related site unless your goal is to mislead people into thinking you have a relationship or connection to the NFL. If that is your intent, then they would likely be able to get the name taken from you if that was their desire. If you registered the name and had a site totally unrelated to football and the NFL and the letters NFL stood for something else, you would have nothing to worry about.
Hi again! Thanks for the replies...The site in question has the topic of showing live streaming NFL football matches. Regards, Debra.
Well that would most likely get you in more trouble than having NFL in your domain name. Only question is who will sue you first, the NFL or the tv networks that are getting ripped off.
um... if you're showing them within the USA without the NFL's permission, prepare to be shutdown and in a legal nightmare. Watch any NFL game and the long legal statement is read everygame. The only authorized companies who are allowed to show live streaming games are ESPN, CBS, FOX, and The NFL Network. They will come after you in days with such an idea.. Sorry fireworks-styles... if it's your site in question regarding the NFL, please do some homework on the issue. If a billion dollar industry such as the NFL hasn't begun to stream their games via their partnerships with TV and Real Networks, why would they let you or whoever the idea came from be able to do so. MLB owns Baseball rights, NBA and NHL owns their own rights. Sorry for the rant but wow... a could sense a cease and desist letter coming already
The site in question would not actually show streams. It is an affiliate website which would take the viewer to another website (not based in the US) to subscribe to a streaming match. Please keep the discussion on topic. If you want to rant do it somewhere else. All I asked for is some advice and facts. As for "not doing homework" this is exactly what I'm doing now by asking the experienced and trusted members here on DP. Thanks.
Doesn't matter, I can almost guarantee you they are not paying licensing fees and you will get squashed for it. You think it is off-topic, but it is 100% on topic. The NFL name thing might slide. Regardless of what name you use, when they find out about this, they will come after you. The NFL is very protective of its actual product. Just because you are feeding them to a foreign company that is stealing their product will not take you off the hook.
the nfl guards it's property 100% and authorizes only certain networks to show the streams. again, 100% on topic. the idea mentioned would steal that stream and show it overseas. Traditionally ESPN and Sky Sports own the licenses for overseas broadcasts (offline and online). The "license" fees involved are millions of dollars unless the overseas sites are esentially hijacking the feed and distributing it online.