First New UDRP Decision Issued For gTLDs

In the first of what are likely to be many Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) and Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) cases related to the new gTLD program, CANYON.BIKE was transferred to Canyon Bicycles GmbH of Koblenz, Germany. This seems to have been a relatively easy decision for the arbitrator, since the Respondent's defense was "that he registered the disputed domain name to enlarge his network and 'get in (friendly) contact with Canyon.' The Respondent submits that a lot of people in the cycling industry did not know of the forthcoming new gTLDs and he therefore registered some domain names 'to protect companies' from domain squatting. The Respondent adds that before he was able to contact the Complainant it filed the present Complaint." The Respondent made this claim even though he was seeking money from the trademark owner for the domain name, and had advertisements at the domain name for the trademark owner's competitors.