Virtual Countries Keeps PuertoRico.com

pljones · Apr 30, 2003

Chalk up another win for Virtual Countries. After completing the sale of NewZealand.com for $500,000 to the NZ Gov't, Virtual Countries successfully defended its registration of PuertoRico.com from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Read the decision here:http://arbiter.wipo.int/domains/decisions/html/2002/d2002-1129.html

More coverage available here: http://www.udrplaw.net/news.htm

Congrats to Ari for winning another country-name case.

Ari Goldberger · May 3, 2003

It's worth reading the allegations in the Puertorico.com decision. Prior to their filing of the suit, the PR Tourism Bureau had offered $2 million in writing to buy the name, but then changed their mind and decided to file the lawsuit, instead!

As for newzealand.com, this was a big bargain for the Government, only because the deal was closed BEFORE we knew the outcome of the case. Had we waited until the decision came down, the deal would certainly have been north of $1 million.
We still wanted the decision to be published, however, even after selling the name, to get the victory on the books for Virtual Countries and the domain community in general. WIPO initially wasn't going to publish the decision but we pressed for it and they ultimately agreed to.

The value of all country names is much greater now with the Puertorico.com and NewZealand.com victories for domain owners.

peter · May 3, 2003

wow Ari!

On behalf of the dnforum I want to say congrats!
Now I just have to go looking for some country domains

pljones · May 5, 2003

"WIPO initially wasn't going to publish the decision"

Ari thanks for mentioning this- I thought dispute providers had to publish every decision under the Rules. Even bad decisions should be available for the public to see.