Seinfeld wins internet dispute

His lawyers had launched an appeal to wrest control of the address from a company called Anything.com, which used the site to host little but advertisements.

However, the company has now agreed to hand over the name before the dispute went to arbitration. Referring to a catchphrase from Seinfeld’s hit sitcom, a statement on the site says: ‘Anything.com wishes Mr Seinfeld well as the master of his domain name.’

The company had owned the address for ten years, before Seinfeld’s attorneys took action this year.

Ari Goldberger, the attorney representing Anything.com, claimed: ‘Anything.com’s owners are big Seinfeld fans and registered the domain name in good faith to use as a fan web site and reserve it for Mr Seinfeld to give to him at no charge if he ever so desired.’

He said that when Seinfeld’s lawyers got in touch, the company owners offered to transfer the name for free – but only if Seinfeld met them, and their lawyer, for ‘a souvenir photo at a convenient time and place’.

He said that when that request was refused the company had ‘no choice but to defend the [arbitration] action’.

But yesterday, he conceded: ‘Anything.com has decided to transfer JerrySeinfeld.com to the TV legend. There was no point in fighting.’

Published: 29 Apr 2008