Acquisition of Rightside by Donuts: What are the consequences on DPML Programs?

Acquisition of Rightside by Donuts: What are the consequences on DPML Programs?

At the Internet new extensions launch, Donuts operator, the biggest extensions applicant (.services, .legal, .photos, .vin etc.) has launched a specific protection program in addition to the TMCH.

The Donuts Protected Mark List (DPML) allows to block the registration by a third party of a domain name similar to the brand under all the extensions managed by the registry.

For example, if the brand “iPhone” is registered in the TMCH (prerequisite) then in the DPML, no one can register <iphone.photos> or <iphone.services>, as well as the other hundred Donuts extensions.

Other registries have also created protection programs, in common with Donuts’ DPML, on more restricted perimeters. It was the case of Rightside which managed the following 40 extensions:

.ACTOR

.AIRFORCE

.ARMY

.ATTORNEY

.AUCTION

.BAND

.CONSULTING

.DANCE

.DEGREE

.DEMOCRAT

.DENTIST

.ENGINEER

.FAMILY

.FORSALE

.FUTBOL

.GAMES

.GIVES

.HAUS

.IMMOBILIEN

.KAUFEN

.LAWYER

.LIVE

.MARKET

.MODA

.MORTGAGE

.NAVY

.NEWS

.NINJA

.PUB

.REHAB

.REPUBLICAN

.REVIEWS

.RIP

.ROCKS

.SALE

.SOCIAL

.SOFTWARE

.STUDIO

.VET

.VIDEO

At the end of July, Donuts announced the acquisition of Rightside.

What are the impacts of this acquisition on the holders of these two protection programs?

  • The DPML now integrates the extensions of Rightside, without supplementary cost.
  • It’s not possible to only subscribe to Rightside’s program anymore, you will have to necessarily turn to Donuts’ DPML.
  • It will not protect the names previously registered by third parties.
  • It excludes premium domain names.

If you want to register your brand in the TMCH and/or in the DPML, don’t hesitate to contact your interlocutor at Nameshield.

 

The acquisition of Rightside Group by Donuts becomes a reality

new gTLDs - The acquisition of Rightside Group by Donuts

It’s at mid-July that ICANN has given its consent regarding the merge of Rightside Group, the registry behind the 40 new gTLDs (.ATTORNEY, .NINJA, .PUB, .DENTIST, .NEWS, .ROCKS, .LIVE, etc.) and the other well-known registry in the new gTLDs’ world, Donuts Inc (more than 200 TLDs: .LIFE, .LOANS, .MEDIA, .SOLUTIONS, .WORLD, etc.).

Donuts will then acquire Rightside at the price of 10.60$ per action, in the context of a takeover offer, i.e. an operation of approximatively 213 million in total.

Donuts, already largely dominant with its hundred extensions, continues to reinforce its position and benefits from difficulties faced by some registries suffering from deficit of commercial success.

This new operation highlights a fact: many new extensions didn’t obtain the expected enthusiasm and the registries which created them are in difficulties.

Are we heading slowly but surely towards a retrieval by Donuts of unsuccessful registries seeking to limit the losses?