discuss Can an extension shut down?

[abstractdomainer]

Just wondering if an extension can be shut down, if it doesn't perform? There could be multiple reasons:

1) Low registration and hence, low revenue
2) Low adoption
3) Low revenue
4) Continuous losses

For example, an extension like .asia which might be garnering low response and has cost associated with running it could decide to shut down the extension. Is it possible?

Also not sure if there are platforms where one could find the financials of how these extensions are doing just to have one more data point to see if it is worth investing in?

 

[jmcc]

Happens more often than people think. Most of the terminated gTLDs are brand gTLDs. ICANN does try to find successor registries for non-brand gTLDs. The .WED was one of the more obvious of the registry terminations. Its business model was based on upping the renewal fees after the second or third year. It didn't work out well.

This is the ICANN registry agreement termination page:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-registry-agreement-termination-2015-10-09-en

Regards...jmcc

 

[HotKey]

See this, Kate loved updating it. :P
https://www.namepros.com/threads/list-of-retired-new-extensions.991424/

Though it was geared towards privately-owned branded extensions, the same idea can apply to public ones, where they can be removed from the root if needed.

 

[topdom]

Soviet Union dissolved but .su continues to exist, and may even become more popular because Russia is winning.
Wondering if .su or .com can be more popular after Russia and most of Ukraine becomes one country. (I heard a small part can be given to Poland). What would happen to .ua and .com.ua once Ukraine dissolves. Probably they would stay, or maybe be moved to .ua.ru or .ua.su .

 

[jmcc]

Interesting. .sbs was terminated but it is still being used, and can be registered.
So maybe terminating the deal with Icann doesn't mean terminating a tld.
(because browsers are ok with terminated tlds?).

It was redelegated to a new registry and opened for public registrations. Many of the brand gTLDs have very few registrations in their zones.

Regards...jmcc

 

[adoni]

Guy that owns .icu explained it on Quora, could happen, but won't happen, ICANN has provisions in place to not have it happen

Basically, escrows with ICAAN plus any extension no matter how weak, jumped through a lot of hoops to happen, so it would sell easily to anothr registrar if owner was going under

https://www.quora.com/Can-a-top-level-domain-TLD-shut-down-If-so-why-might-it

It could theoretically, but it won't

 

[ArielT]

Don't worry

 

[topdom]

This is the ICANN registry agreement termination page:
https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-registry-agreement-termination-2015-10-09-en

Regards...jmcc

Interesting. .sbs was terminated but it is still being used, and can be registered.
So maybe terminating the deal with Icann doesn't mean terminating a tld.
(because browsers are ok with terminated tlds?).

 

[newdandy]

Yes