“That’s a Clown Question, Bro” Domain Battle Brewing?

A couple of weeks ago, Washington Nationals rookie outfielder Bryce Harper was being interviewed by reporters in Toronto, and one of the local reporters asked him about drinking since he’s underaged in the US but can legal drink in Canada. As you can see in the video above, Harper answered, “that’s a clown question, bro,”

An Internet meme was born. People posted other humorous videos with famous questions and Harper’s response. Even Nevada Senator Harry Reid got in on the act, jokingly answeringthat’s a clown question, bro” to a reporter’s question.

As you’d probably suspect, shortly after Harper’s reply made the news, people began registering matching domain names. ThatsAClownQuestionBro.com, .net, .org, .info, and .us were all registered by what appears to be different people hours after the press conference went viral.

Perhaps there will be a legal battle for these domain names (well, if anything, the .com) because it’s been reported that Harper filed for a trademark for the term, and Under Armour plans to sell shirts with the saying emblazoned on them.

I don’t know if it’s worth spending time and money to try and wrest the domain name(s) from the registrants, but Harper and his legal team seem intent on protecting the ballplayer’s phrase. It will be interesting to follow.

Do you think someone should have the rights to a domain name for a matching phrase they coined and are trademarking?

Elliot Silver
Elliot Silver
About The Author: Elliot Silver is an Internet entrepreneur and publisher of DomainInvesting.com. Elliot is also the founder and President of Top Notch Domains, LLC, a company that has closed eight figures in deals. Please read the DomainInvesting.com Terms of Use page for additional information about the publisher, website comment policy, disclosures, and conflicts of interest. Reach out to Elliot: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

13 COMMENTS

  1. until a trademark is awarded, it should be first come first serve, and if a domain name is registered before a trademark is awarded, oh well. and it’s not like he spent hours and hours coming up with that retort, he probably heard it from someone else..

  2. Clearly, the real category killer here would be ClownQuestions.com. 🙂 Not only is there already content on it, but they’ve got the associated Twitter account @clownquestion. People don’t waste time…lol.

  3. for us more like clownreg or clowndrop instead of that domain is pigeon shot, now it’s your domain is clownpoop, dude

  4. Worthless domain. Waste of time and money going after these new coined phrases. Better to buy domains with better potential that return revenue now.

  5. Agree with Robert further up, first come basis.

    AHH I must admit to buying Titanorak.com when all the bumpf about the Titanic was around a month or two ago, got brainwashed into it, honestly haha. Anyway, some terms or new fads are worth a go go I think. Howard.

  6. I don’t think that someone should have the rights to a domain for a phrase that they coined, ultimately it’s not them that has made it popular but it’s social media. It’s highly unlikely that without a massive media campaign that someone would know what would “take on” in the internet.

    With this example in particular, it’s such a long phrase why would you even want such a long url? Generally people want memorable urls if they are doing online and offline promotion but for this url it’s so easy for someone to type the wrong thing that it’s not sensible.

  7. If they’ve trademarked the phrase or keywords already, I think the domain name should be grandfathered in or part of the ‘trademarking process’ at that time.

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