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question Will I be sued if I buy a celebrity domain name

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Will I be sued if I buy a celebrity domain name?
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
This is an easy road to a UDRP. Just don't do it.
 
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Maybe with local celebrities it won't be a great issue like international
Some might want to buy

Why would it be any less or more wrong with a local celebrity? In fact, it doesn't even need to be a celebrity for it to be wrong! If you are targeting ANY person who uses their name in any way for business then it is WRONG! Even for a dentist or a clown or a taxi driver .. it is wrong if your only purpose of holding the domain is to resell it to any one specific individual!

Sure you could get away with it. Many people don't know about trademarks so they will think they have no option but to pay if they want the domain. Also if you price the domain low enough then they might just think it's easier to buy the domain than to go to court.

BUT ... what you are doing is still unethical and wrong and makes all domain investors look bad. If you do this, then you are a cyber-squatter!

You asked for our opinion .. IT IS A MORALLY BAD THING TO DO .. DO NOT DO IT !!!
 
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Why would it be any less or more wrong with a local celebrity? In fact, it doesn't even need to be a celebrity for it to be wrong! If you are targeting ANY person who uses their name in any way for business then it is WRONG! Even for a dentist or a clown or a taxi driver .. it is wrong if your only purpose of holding the domain is to resell it to any one specific individual!

Sure you could get away with it. Many people don't know about trademarks so they will think they have no option but to pay if they want the domain. Also if you price the domain low enough then they might just think it's easier to buy the domain than to go to court.

BUT ... what you are doing is still unethical and wrong and makes all domain investors look bad. If you do this, then you are a cyber-squatter!

You asked for our opinion .. IT IS A MORALLY BAD THING TO DO .. DO NOT DO IT !!!
Meanwhile you talk here about gentleman codex and ethic, tomorrow each one of these celebrity will push you if you will be on thier way.. its business..
you can reg whatever you want, but you cant make income on this.. you can even reg any domain with any TM, even google, but you cant use thi domain..
ok, talking about my case.. i bought the name on closeout and didnt make any offer, I was ready for any offer from thier side and they offered me very good price and that sale really saved me from a few financial problem then, so I am very happy to risk and win.
would i suggest to the OP reg TM domain and risk? no.. too low possibility to win..
in my case i had already nothing to lose..
 
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Yeah
The one I am looking Is a DJ and it is a female DJ
She already has a well developed website in her name,
At a second thought, if I risk it and am paid well, I will be very happy
Well if I see any issue, then I will just delete the domain, matter settled
 
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Yeah
The one I am looking Is a DJ and it is a female DJ
She already has a well developed website in her name,
At a second thought, if I risk it and am paid well, I will be very happy
Well if I see any issue, then I will just delete the domain, matter settled

deleting doesn't settle the matter
as the case is still existing
and you can be sued
 
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Then the answer is yes someone will come after you, that is absolutely a bad faith registration or secondary usage if purchased from someone that did not register in bad faith. So I would avoid that, they don't have to go the UDRP route they could take to court under ACPA and look for $100,000 plus the name.

These names are currently for sale: Mbappe.com, Neymar.com, etc. What do you say about that?

And countless of names like these has been sold in the past. Why?
 
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These names are currently for sale: Mbappe.com, Neymar.com, etc. What do you say about that?

And countless of names like these has been sold in the past. Why?

if i was to buy, i wont go for top celebrities like these names, these guys has active lawyers that are looking for those that will trademark there names, but local celebrities who gets high attention locally can be risked
 
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These names are currently for sale: Mbappe.com, Neymar.com, etc. What do you say about that?

And countless of names like these has been sold in the past. Why?

Why? Because there are several people who don't mind taking that chance. Look I have written about celebrity domain names for years, and there is no one secret sauce. Some people do get rewarded, it all comes down to risk, can you afford not a UDRP but a celebrity who wants to make an example and go after you under the ACPA and get the name and $100,000?

https://tldinvestors.com/2012/09/tw...ich-coincidentally-is-the-cost-of-a-udrp.html

https://tldinvestors.com/2011/11/why-do-people-register-celebrity-names.html

https://tldinvestors.com/2012/01/its-all-over-the-place-in-the-world-of-celebrity-domains.html
 
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Some people do get rewarded, it all comes down to risk, can you afford not a UDRP but a celebrity who wants to make an example and go after you under the ACPA and get the name and $100,000?
If these celebs can be over paid kicking football, they shouldn't be mad at me trying to get over paid kicking their ass :xf.cool:
 
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If these celebs can be over paid kicking football, they shouldn't be mad at me trying to get over paid kicking their ass :xf.cool:

Well you have no legal remedy to them getting over paid, they do have a legal remedy against those that trade in their names. And there are quite a few domainers who contact celebs to let them know when someone has their name. Rick Schwartz and others have outbid others and then gifted the name to the celebrity as well.
 
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And there are quite a few domainers who contact celebs to let them know when someone has their name. Rick Schwartz and others have outbid others and then gifted the name to the celebrity as well.
Yeah, it's easy to see everyone else at the other side as evil and lazy when you have cross the bridge
 
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Ok what am gonna do is I will buy then contact the celebrity and say this " hi am a big fan and I love what you do, you are an inspiration to me and this generation, silver and gold I don't have, but I got a rare and weird gift for you, I have you domain name And I don't intend SELLING it to you, I want you to have it and develop it and generate more revenue for yourself,
If you wish to give me a token I will appreciate, also a signature from you will be better"

What do you think?
 
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Ok what am gonna do is I will buy then contact the celebrity and say this " hi am a big fan and I love what you do, you are an inspiration to me and this generation, silver and gold I don't have, but I got a rare and weird gift for you, I have you domain name And I don't intend SELLING it to you, I want you to have it and develop it and generate more revenue for yourself,
If you wish to give me a token I will appreciate, also a signature from you will be better"

What do you think?
He'll take it, thank you, and give you a signature.

Your biggest problem will be how to contact them. It can be a pain in the ass, almost impossible to contact some high profile celebs.
 
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Well you have no legal remedy to them getting over paid, they do have a legal remedy against those that trade in their names. And there are quite a few domainers who contact celebs to let them know when someone has their name. Rick Schwartz and others have outbid others and then gifted the name to the celebrity as well.

???


as they are poor
and can't take care of themselves? ...
 
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???


as they are poor
and can't take care of themselves? ...

I guess people are free to do whatever they like.

I know at least 10 domainers that have done it, Rick has mentioned some

I gave YogiBerra.com to Yogi Berra and asked nothing in return.

I gave JoeTorre.com to Joe Torre and asked nothing in return.

And if you go to TerryBradshaw.com you will see I spent about $450 just weeks ago for the HONOR
of giving Terry Bradshaw his name. Just waiting to be contacted.

https://www.ricksblog.com/2013/03/i...-me-a-cybersquatter-my-response/#.XN2fpdine1s
 
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You spent $450 on this name?
 
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Pretty much the answer to every domaining related question that begins with, "Can I be sued if I....." is 'yes'. Be cool, there are so many opportunities for making money as a domainer/splash page developer that do not involve you giving up your soul for a couple bucks.
 
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I guess I' rather ask the celeb to donate
a nice sum to a charity
in order to get the domain for free
 
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I guess I' rather ask the celeb to donate
a nice sum to a charity
in order to get the domain for free
No
I rather ask for a signature or financial support
Then if I get it, I myself do the donation to charity
 
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I guess I' rather ask the celeb to donate
a nice sum to a charity
in order to get the domain for free
So much for charity.
Me too I need some charity support
 
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