World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. v. Michael Bosman (UDRP, 2000)

A landmark domain-name cybersquatting decision protecting famous trademarks against opportunistic registrants.

Summary :

This case marks one of the earliest and most influential UDRP decisions dealing with cybersquatting. The World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) filed a complaint stating that Michael Bosman had registered a domain name identical to their famous trademark with no legitimate purpose, and had attempted to sell it back to WWF for profit. The dispute clarified the approach for determining bad-faith registration and set firm guidance for handling domain name abuse.

Facts of the Case :

WWF discovered that Bosman had registered “worldwrestlingfederation.com”, a name identical to the organization’s widely recognized mark. Instead of using the domain name in any bona fide way, Bosman negotiated with WWF and demanded payment to transfer the domain. WWF argued that his intention was purely commercial exploitation. The domain had no content, no legitimate use, and no connection to Bosman’s business activities.

Court Findings / Reasoning :

The Panel held that the domain name was confusingly similar to the WWF trademark, which had strong international recognition. Bosman had no legitimate rights or interests, and the evidence clearly showed he registered the domain solely to sell it at an inflated price. This constituted bad-faith registration and bad-faith use under UDRP guidelines. The decision emphasized that the mere offer to sell a domain corresponding to a famous mark is enough to prove bad faith.

Suggestions / Practical Lessons :

Brand owners must monitor domain registrations closely and act quickly when someone misuses their trademark online. This case shows that even passive holding of a domain can amount to bad faith if the registrant’s intention is abusive.

Judgment :

The Panel ordered that the domain name be transferred to WWF, holding that Bosman engaged in bad-faith cybersquatting.