ESPN filed a UDRP against the NotSportscenter.com domain name at the National Arbitration Forum, and the sports media conglomerate lost. The decision was published on the NAF website today.
According to the respondent in the contentions section of the UDRP decision, NotSportscenter.com is used “in connection with sports news parody content.” I had a look at the website this morning, and as a regular ESPN.com visitor, I would not confuse these two websites or think NotSportscenter.com has anything to do with ESPN’s SportsCenter programming. The UDRP panel appears to agree that the website is offering parody content and the domain owner has a right to do that. From the decision:
“Although Respondent was aware of the SPORTSCENTER mark and Complainant’s rights therein actual knowledge alone is not dispositive of Respondent’s bad faith. Moreover, Respondent does not attempt to disrupt Complainant’s business, as it offers parody material regarding sports, and does not purport to keep users from visiting Complainant’s website.”
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According to the respondent in the contentions section of the UDRP decision, NotSportscenter.com is used “in connection with sports news parody content.” I had a look at the website this morning, and as a regular ESPN.com visitor, I would not confuse these two websites or think NotSportscenter.com has anything to do with ESPN’s SportsCenter programming. The UDRP panel appears to agree that the website is offering parody content and the domain owner has a right to do that. From the decision:
“Although Respondent was aware of the SPORTSCENTER mark and Complainant’s rights therein actual knowledge alone is not dispositive of Respondent’s bad faith. Moreover, Respondent does not attempt to disrupt Complainant’s business, as it offers parody material regarding sports, and does not purport to keep users from visiting Complainant’s website.”
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