Fan sites ~ Famous names

[Jo]

Just regged one of my fave movie star names and I want to develope it into a fan site. Have any of you had any experience and do you get many hits? Is it possible to get into any legal trouble by having a famous person's name as a website?


Thanks,

Kerrijo

 

[FanCube]

There has been quite a few cases about NameofStar.com domains which was taken by cybersquatters or fans. If you are running under another extension or something like NameofStarFan.com or related will you probably not get any problems.

 

[B33R]

What's the domain, Kerrijo?

 

[Jo]

There has been quite a few cases about NameofStar.com domains which was taken by cybersquatters or fans. If you are running under another extension or something like NameofStarFan.com or related will you probably not get any problems.

Yikes! We could be in trouble then.

It's colinfirth.eu :hearts:

Maybe we should email him and offer to transfer it to his publicist (well, when we can.)

 

[B33R]

It's colinfirth.eu :hearts:

Maybe we should email him and offer to transfer it to his publicist (well, when we can.)

Nah, I don't think so.

They tend to only go after the .com if they want an official website address. I think colinfirth.eu will be fine.

It's mostly the music industry that go after "squatters" anyway, movie stars tend not to have an official website and most stars won't chase after fan sites because they're just that - fan sites.

If you had the .com then it might be different - if the star wanted to have a web presence, that's where they go. Or, of course, if you run, or direct traffic to, a porn site then you're also be likely to be shut down.

I think you'll be fine with that domain. Nice name by the way!

Should be quite easy to get traffic to, once it's up and running and indexed in the search engines.

 

[JYM]

Yeah, it's pretty hard to find the domain name of a celebrity because they generally have enough intelligence to get someone to buy the domain and develop a site.

I don't think you'll have any trouble. Good luck with your site!

 

[khuldun]

No problem mate, you can develop it into a good site, though i am not sure .eu is a good idea to get some traffic.

 

[iggy]

Make sure you center the website around a sexy picture of him:


http://www.langfieldentertainment.com/images/OCTOBER 2005/Colin Firth.jpg

 

[Jo]

Nah, I don't think so.

They tend to only go after the .com if they want an official website address. I think colinfirth.eu will be fine.

It's mostly the music industry that go after "squatters" anyway, movie stars tend not to have an official website and most stars won't chase after fan sites because they're just that - fan sites.

If you had the .com then it might be different - if the star wanted to have a web presence, that's where they go. Or, of course, if you run, or direct traffic to, a porn site then you're also be likely to be shut down.

I think you'll be fine with that domain. Nice name by the way!

Should be quite easy to get traffic to, once it's up and running and indexed in the search engines.

Oh ok Great! Thanks that makes me feel better. I did it on a whim and then afterwards started worrying about it. :]

Yeah, it's pretty hard to find the domain name of a celebrity because they generally have enough intelligence to get someone to buy the domain and develop a site.

I don't think you'll have any trouble. Good luck with your site!

Thank you!

No problem mate, you can develop it into a good site, though i am not sure .eu is a good idea to get some traffic.

Well, we'll see in the future! :]

Make sure you center the website around a sexy picture of him:


http://www.langfieldentertainment.com/images/OCTOBER 2005/Colin Firth.jpg

OH my my my my my...lovely! :red: I will!

Thanks for all your replies! :great:

 

[SwiftyCorleone]

I am currently in contact with lawyers representing a music group in America.

There threating to take legal action, Having to halt the site for a moment.

 

[FanCube]

Since you are running under .eu should you be safe and as long as you do not abuse his name. If he already has an official site is the chance that anything will happen at all very low.

 

[chimaera]

I have wondered the same thing, running a fan site at www.wolfmother.net (and also own the .org). The official site it at .com, so I'm not expecting any problems. Fingers crossed anyway.

 

[Sinfully Wicked]

Just regged one of my fave movie star names and I want to develope it into a fan site. Have any of you had any experience and do you get many hits? Is it possible to get into any legal trouble by having a famous person's name as a website?


Thanks,

Kerrijo

Yes you can get GOOD quality traffic going to the fansites and returning traffic. I personaly have never had any issues with all our fansites, but i think it might be a differently story if you had DonaldDuck.info, just because that IS a TM issue right there.

I can't see you having any problems with your celebrity.

Good luck.

Sin

 

[SwiftyCorleone]

The domain i have is the exact name of the group but not the .com / .org / .net, its a country code domain.

 

[Jo]

Since you are running under .eu should you be safe and as long as you do not abuse his name. If he already has an official site is the chance that anything will happen at all very low.

As far as I can see he has just 2 fan sites without an official site. One is "friends of firth" and the other is just "firth.com." I'd have to do more checking.

Yes you can get GOOD quality traffic going to the fansites and returning traffic. I personaly have never had any issues with all our fansites, but i think it might be a differently story if you had DonaldDuck.info, just because that IS a TM issue right there.

I can't see you having any problems with your celebrity.

Good luck.

Sin

Thanks!

The domain i have is the exact name of the group but not the .com / .org / .net, its a country code domain.

That's a real shame to hear. Is your site a fan site? Or did you just park the name? I hope it all works out for you.

 

[SwiftyCorleone]

Nope it wasnt parked.

 

[Jo]

Nope it wasnt parked.

So it was a fansite then. How did this all happen? How do you know that the person/persons who contacted you are really the band or legal representation? Did you receive legal documents? Did they ask that the name be transferred over?

 

[SwiftyCorleone]

Indeed i recieved documents via email and post. They want the domain transferd over. Im waiting to here more on the subject at the moment.

 

[chimaera]

I'd pay a fair bit for firth.com ... (my surname ... heh)

 

[Jo]

Indeed i recieved documents via email and post. They want the domain transferd over. Im waiting to here more on the subject at the moment.

My goodness! I hope you get through all that ok without any loss of funds. So sorry to hear that.

I'd pay a fair bit for firth.com ... (my surname ... heh)

Maybe you should email the owner!