The date and venue for the next domain name auction being conducted by Heritage Auctions has been set. According to Aron Meystedt, Director of the Domain Name and Intellectual Property Department at Heritage Auctions, the live auction will be held on February 9, 2015 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The Waldorf is one of the most famous hotels in the City.
Previously, Heritage Auctions put out a call for submissions, and it seemed clear that the company was only looking for the best of the best domain names. In the email sent out today, the company shared more details about the quality of domain names they expect to include.
Here is what Aron had to say about the domain names the company is considering:
“We are seeking one word .com domains that are short and powerful like: Blue.com, Fun.com, Free.com, Gold.com etc.
We are also seeking LL and LLL domain names. We need names with attractive reserve prices. We want to build excitement and we want the press to notice this event.
For this particular auction, because of the limited inventory and the exclusive location, we’re mainly seeking only names described above.”
There will only be 30 domain names included in the  auction. I presume there will be pre-auction online bidding as well as a post-auction for domain names that do not sell.
At this point in time, it is unclear if this auction event will be open to the public, but given its prime location, I presume that will be the case. I am sure more details about the live auction will follow, and I will be sure to share them with you.
This is an example of HA doing things with this pioneering program the way you would hope they would. Since we both have some history in NYC, I assume we both know what a nice spot that is just to be at. Gotta like this report.
>”At this point in time, it is unclear if this auction event will be open to the public, but given its prime location, I presume that will be the case.”
Yes I would definitely think so and it would be nothing less than crazy not to I would think as well. I suspect Aron and his associates doubtless would agree. Makes me wish I was back in NYC now even just to attend.
These people need a reality check. .nyc domains are hot right now what better place to do it than some premium .nyc domain auctions instead of .com. The .nyc domain would sell much more than .com especially in New York City at the Waldorf hotel. Sometimes I have to wonder what these guys are thinking??
.nyc would represent amazing in this auction and the right buyers would spend a lot of money to acquire this property. Hello people marijuana.nyc sold over $60,000. There are few others selling for more than 6 figures easly to private buyers and domain investors.
They are hot? One sale does not make a whole extension hot, IMO.
In addition, I think HA is shooting for 6 and 7 figure sales – not hoping for mid 5 figure sales.
>”instead of .com. The .nyc domain would sell much more than .com especially in New York City at the Waldorf hotel. Sometimes I have to wonder what these guys are thinking??”
Geo, I’m actually inclined to agree that it *may* have been desirable to include a few of the best of the best in .nyc if anyone was willing to offer them for sale for that auction, but when you make statements like that going that far, then I’m also inclined to suggest that you are the one who would need the “reality check” by a mile. So I think you’ve gone way too far in what you said here.
Also on the other hand, excluding .nyc may still have been the best idea in light of what Elliot suggested. In this case I’m inclined to defer to Aron’s judgment in the matter. He and HA are in NYC, Elliot and I both have history in NYC, and I’m inclined to think the Aron and HA know what they are doing with this, even though I could personally have liked the idea of just a few .nyc gems appearing.
P.S. In contemplating my avatar here and this topic, I wonder if they still have that polar bear exhibit in Central Park in NYC, how any new bear is doing and if any new polar bear still paces back and forth. 🙂