Another Case of Cybersquatting Paying off

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This transaction takes us all around the globe and shows just how magical the Internet can be. So a Chinese registrant gets a domain that represents a major U.S. brand, in the South African extension.

NBAstore.co.za sold yesterday on Sedo for $5,500.

The NBA Store is a series of officially licensed retailers which sell merchandise for the National Basketball Association. The most prominent of these stores was located in the United States on Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street, Manhattan, New York. Wikipedia
The buyer shown in whois is Victor Dutka and Mr.Dutka according to LinkeIn is Sr Director, Enterprise Network Services National Basketball Association. Responsible for voice and data networking for the league.

So instead of going the UDRP route, the NBA decided to pay $5,500 for a domain name parked with advertisements pertaining to their brand. Domaining “I love this game”

nbastore

Comments

  1. JohnUK says

    Ohn what a terrible man, lol. Good luck to the guy. Wonder of NBAhave a Trademark that is valid in South Africa though .

    • Raymond Hackney says

      The answer to that would be yes.

      Date of application

      Date of acceptance
      17-Nov-1983 23-Oct-1984
      Date of advertisement

      Date of registration
      28-Nov-1984 29-Jan-1985
      Nature of mark

      Status
      Ordinary Registered
      Class

      Description of goods and services
      25

      Association

      1983/08378
      1983/08380
      Clothing, including boots, shoes and slippers.
      Name & address of applicant

      Address for service
      19387 – NBA PROPERTIES INC.
      a New York corporation of
      Olympic Tower
      645 Fifth Avenue
      New York
      New York 10022,
      United States of America

      105048 – ADAMS & ADAMS
      Lynnwood Bridge
      4 Daventry Street
      Lynnwood Manor
      Pretoria
      GPA Number

      Priority/Convention
      282/96
      Endorsement

      http://esearch.cipc.co.za/

      • JohnUK says

        @Raymond Hackney Ah right ,thanks for that. Hmm, well the registrant was a very lucky “China Man”. LOL, I bet he was not really Chinese tho !!.

        • Raymond Hackney says

          No problem John, and I don’t want to see the seller get lynched, I write the story from I thought it was interesting and just shows you never know what a big company is going to do. We see senseless UDRP’s pure RDNH and then a name where the TM holder has legitimate rights and they buy.