David Castello, pointed out to me today an update on a story we wrote about a back in October, about a Steven Thiele, a body builder, who registered a several domains of Indian tribes in Florida; miccosukeetribeofindians.com, miccosukeetribeofindiansofflorida.com and a domain named after tribe chairman Billy Cypress, billycypress.com.
In the October story, we pointed out that the domain holder was offered and turned down $100,000, insisting he wanted $500,000 for the domains. At the time we questioned the wisdom of turning down $100K domains, he would likely lose in a court action or a URDP.
On December 23, a Miami federal court found the domain holder liable for cyber-piracy and trademark dilution, ordered the domains transferred to the Tribe and further ordered that the trademark holder pay $3,000 in damages plus the tribe’s attorney’s fees (that folks will be a LOT more than $3K).
David in sending me the story today and entitling it “know When to Hold & Know When to Fold”, asked:
Remember when the tribe offered him 100K?
Sure we do David, and as we both said at the time, the guy should have taken the $100K and ran.
But David also points out the bigger question that, If you wind up with thousands of domains, at somepoint your going to be faced with a domain dispute and your going to have to know when to fight and when to settle.
Not all domain disputes are cut and dry.
Not all domain disputes are the bang on losers we write about frequently (including this one).
If the case is in Federal Court, ultimately you will have to weight the costs of the fight, your attorney fees, their attorney fees, (budget $25K per side minimum up to $100K) the value of the domain, against the offer on the table.
Sometimes you will have to fight, spend the money to keep your property.
But sometimes the offer on the table makes the fight a needless expenditure of funds.
And if you are ever in the situation where your offered a some cash, especially a sizeable sum, for a domain you have a very good chance of losing, for god sake, use some common sense and take the money.
Glad to see this guy lose!
He didnt deserve to own that domain and was a fool to ever think he would get $500K for that name!
I hope they really make him pay!
Remember when to take the money and run!
Dont be Greedy – There are too many greedy people in the domaining industry – Yes everyone would like that $$$,$$$ offer or even $,$$$,$$$ but dont be stupid – If you bought the domain for $$ and you can sell it for $,$$$ (Normal domain not premium) Then take the offer! Its still XXX% profit!
Regards,
Robbie
For some people it’s never enough, I also think that if the first offer would have been 500 K he would have wanted 1 mil. A certain amount of greed is in everyone, but being flat out stupid is something else. Like in most cases muscle doesn’t get the job done. Steven Thiele should better keep pumping iron because the brain part doesn’t work so good.
I just learned that Thiele was so incensed they were taking him to court that he said, “Now I want a million dollars for miccosukeetribeofindians.com . Not a penny less.”
In addition, he went after the tribe’s attorney Michael Tien and bought his name michaeltein.com.
So the tribe called his bluff and they proceeded to court. His reaction?
“Thiele submitted a handwritten motion seeking to dismiss the lawsuit filed Sept. 29. That motion was denied. The court ordered him to file a response. When he didn’t, the court issued a clerk’s default against him on Tuesday.”
I am needy but I’m not greedy.Happy New Year.
You have to treat domain names like real estate. If someone offers you an inflated amount for your property aka domain names then it’s probably best not to counter offer for 5x of what they offered you.
Live and and learn I guess.
RE: “And if you are ever in the situation where your offered a some cash, especially a sizeable sum, for a domain you have a very good chance of losing, for god sake, use some common sense and take the money.”
I’m gonna go with DUH!
Great post David.
Reminds me of a line Josh Meyers (formerly of Yahoo) said to me when I jokingly asked him if he’d like to speak on a panel on the subject of “The Futrure of “TM” Names”. Without blinking an eye he replied “There Ain’t no Future in TM Names”.
Happy New Year everyone!
I love it, we all predicted this would happen back when the news first appeared. Oh well, I’m sure he won’t be domaining anytime soon.
What an idiot.
Those domains are worth 9.99 each. Way too much steroids to be able to think clearly.
Next time Steven Thiele should send us an email with his challenge.
Have a gret New Year.
WIPPO
World Internet Property Protection Organization
And old saying goes “Hogs get fat, pigs get slaughtered.” Never be too greedy.
Happy New Year
Bob
Still waiting on a #1 stunna t-shirt from Mr. Thiele. This story was definitely one of the craziest I’ve heard. I don’t understand how anybody could scoff at a hundred grand for a hand-reg like these were. I had trouble believing that Thiele actually had a $100k offer, but when I emailed him he was very emphatic. I still have my doubts and am curious as to whether anyone has confirmed it from the other side?
Nice title, btw… sometimes it does pay to hold ’em, though… I just got a RDNH ruling against PokerHost.com for trying to UDRP PokerHost.net from me. Now I’m kind of at a loss on how to even move forward.
makes me wonder, what made him ask for $500K for such a crappy names.. oh well!! we all know rest of the story lol
–
Jay M
ParkingFirm.com
This story keeps getting better. Here’s the latest update courtesy of Bloomberg News:
“The Miami Herald ran a story Oct. 4 saying the tribe had offered Thiele money for his Web site and that he was unwilling to sell for less than $500,000.
The story was incorrect because the tribe didn’t offer to buy Thiele’s domain names, the tribe said in the second infringement complaint it filed when it sued Michel Cohen in Miami federal court Oct. 8.
Michel Cohen registered http://www.miccosukeetribeofindians.net on Sept. 5, the day after the Miami Herald story about Thiele was published. He telephoned the tribe Oct. 6, offering to sell the tribe the name he registered, according to court papers.
Cohen told the tribe he got the idea of registering the name and offering it for sale from the Herald’s story about Thiele, the tribe said in its complaint against Cohen. “
Kinda makes me wish I had developed one of my favorite domains:
TheAssClownAwards.com
This guy’d likely take get a “Clownie” for his efforts.
ı am not know :S