An aged LLLL .com got bagged via a UDRP.
An aged, four letter .com was lost in a UDRP filed by a company that claimed rights to its expanded acronym.
ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich) filed a UDRP against the domain name ETHZ.com, alleging that the “ETH” part of their mark was fully incorporated into the domain.
Using the same logic, most ETH*.com domains are in danger.
Despite the fact that the domain was registered in 1999 the Complainant claims first use of the ETH mark before 1996, alleging the registration of ETHZ.ch predates that.
The real question is, then why didn’t ETH Zürich register the .com between 1996 and 1999.
A sole panelist at the WIPO gave priority to the Complainant’s use of a web site, at ETHZ.ch.
“In view of the fact that the full name of Complainant is “ETH Zürich” and given Complainant’s use of the domain name <ethz.ch>, the Panel considers the Disputed Domain Name to be confusingly similar to Complainant’s ETH trademark.”
Acronyms can be anything, and in this case, the Respondent did not file a response.
Flip Petillion, sole panelist, gave away the domain to the Complainant, and you can read the full text of this UDRP decision for ETHZ.com here.
Crazy!
Flip ….. you are a fuck