The sunrise period for .NYC domain names began today, and the .NYC domain registry received support from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this morning. Today is the first day that trademark holders can apply for a .NYC domain name, and there are around 30 domain registrars working with Neustar to offer sunrise registrations. Sunrise registrations can be made from now through June 20.
According to a press release found on NYC.gov:
“New Yorkers are constantly innovating and putting this great city on the digital map,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The launch of the .nyc domain is one of the most anticipated arrivals for the city and the Internet at large. There is no shortage of New Yorkers ready to claim their exclusive .nyc identities online, and this is their chance to reserve their piece of this city’s valuable digital real estate.”
In addition to announcing the beginning of the .NYC sunrise period, the press release also announced the Founder’s Program for people who wish to build on .NYC domain names. “The .nyc Founders Program offers qualified businesses and individuals the chance to apply to be considered a .nyc “Founder,” meaning they will not only have the opportunity to get the perfect .nyc domain before the general public, but their developed website(s) will be promoted and showcased in many of the .nyc promotional launch efforts,” according to the press release.
As I said before, I believe that geotargeted new gTLD domain names like .NYC are going to be some of the most successful new domain extensions. I particularly like .NYC perhaps because I lived there but also because it’s a brand in and of itself.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to buy any .NYC domain names because of the .NYC nexus policy that requires registrant to live or have a physical address in the City. Perhaps the rules will be relaxed or I can register .NYC domain names in the name of family in NYC, but I will be on the sidelines for at least the beginning.
If you’re in New York City and you see some cool .NYC marketing, let me know about it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the City and Neustar team up to make New Yorkers aware of the new .NYC domain names, and I’d like to see what you find.
“Unfortunately, I will not be able to buy any .NYC domain names because of the .NYC nexus policy.”
Your going to look back one day and appreciate they had such a policy.
Why Raider? This one is probably a winner.
As you already know John, I don’t believe any of these TLD’s will be winners, at least in the LONG term that is, Short term perhaps because as always the majority of registrants will be domainers, and it doesn’t matter if they don’t live in NYC, they will use a proxy like they always do to get around it.
Answer this for me, why would you or anyone else think that an American city TLD would take off when our own Country TLD .US hasn’t taken off since it was released in 2002? and BOTH are managed by Neustar.
I was thinking of this the other day, GTLD investors are lot like Poker players, their dealt A-K or A-Q suited and they get all excited and bet real BIG, but when all 5 cards are dealt they don’t pair the board and they lose most all their chips, and when their dealt A-K or A-Q again, they do the exact same thing and lose AGAIN.