Edmonton Oilers Secure Domain Transfer in WIPO Ruling
Dec/31/2024
In a recent WIPO ruling, Edmonton Oilers Hockey Corp. successfully gained ownership of <edmonstonoilers.com>, a domain registered in January 2024 that mirrored the team’s official website with only a slight misspelling. The WIPO panel determined that the respondent engaged in typosquatting, registering the domain in bad faith and lacking any legitimate interests. This decision also cited a pattern of similar bad faith actions by the respondent. Edmonton Oilers, a prominent NHL franchise with trademarks for 'OILERS' and 'EDMONTON OILERS' in the U.S. and Canada, demonstrated the domain’s infringement on their intellectual property. The ruling underscores the importance of protecting established brands from cybersquatting. The following chart highlights the Edmonton Oilers franchise value from 2006 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars), showcasing the team’s growing financial significance over the years.
