.berlin and .nyc backers had been pursuing a gTLD for well over 10 years, decrying how important and vital it was for business. The cry was "all the good names are taken". The solution...create more.
As a city, Berlin was against this push claiming that the city of Berlin was the sovereign authority. They did not want the name and did not want the name administered by someone else.
A few years later, the .nyc effort (also crying that all the good names were taken) joined forces. Armed with piles of money earmarked to influence ICANN officials and we now have the debacle witnessed today.
Looks like the sentiment of about a decade ago with Berlin officials claiming it was not needed rings more true today as the namesake has been diluted and polluted to the point of immediate saturation of all and everything that is not Berlin related. Indeed, this debacle proves that the name was "not needed" because now, imo, the name space has absolutely zero significance in terms of relating to and of the City of Berlin.
The virtual giveaway of names of the past couple of days has already placed this name into the "hasbeen" column.
The City of Berlin should be insulted by what has happened.
