The Cleveland Browns have secured the domain name browns.com, in a significant triumph for the American football franchise.
The World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center ruled that the domain name must be transferred from an Italian cybersquatter who was in possession of the Web address.
Back in March, the NFL outfit filed a complaint with WIPO, providing evidence of historic rights to the Browns trademark.
The domain name had been used in Italy to sell American Football merchandise and redirect online visitors to other teams’ websites, hence the eagerness of the club to secure the domain.
WIPO, in making its judgement, noted that the original registrant of the browns.com domain had been the respondent in 26 other domain name complaints, suggesting that they are a repeat cybersquatter.
The Browns argued that the current owner had no rights to the Browns trademark and had no bona fide use for the domain name.