beIN Media filed an in rem complaint against a number of domain names, alleging violation of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. beIN broadcasts sporting events (e.g., U.S. Open gold and NBA games overseas, World Cup soccer qualifiers, professional tennis, and the like) worldwide via cable systems, Direct TV, and the internet. In connection with this, beIN owns several registrations to the mark 201cBEIN 201d in a variety of classes of goods and services. beIN asserts that UK resident Honza Jan Zicha registered a number of domain names through PRD Ltd. (doing business as publicdomainregistry.com), which is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts. Zicha is accused of running a business, 201cBuy Sell Dns Ltd. 201d for the sole purpose of buying and selling domain names, and the domain names in question generally redirected to a single site, bein.com, which has alternatingly indicated the site was under development or was up for sale, with a solicitation for offers. Zicha is further accused of seeking excessive money for the domain names ($1.5 million), with the threat to sell the names to a different entity, beoutQ, who allegedly pirates and rebroadcasts beIN 2019s content. beIN asserts that personal jurisdiction cannot be established over Zicha anywhere in the United States, and accordingly brings the complaint against the domain names themselves in rem, with the place of the business through which the domains were registered serving as the appropriate venue. beIN seeks transfer or cancellation of the domains.
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