FIBA to acquire basketball domain

GENEVA, Switzerland (FIBA) – July 13, 2012: Basketball domain, Representatives of the global basketball community have come together in full support of the application by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to acquire the .BASKETBALL generic top level domain name.

The application reflects the desires expressed by FIBA’s global membership (213 FIBA Member Federations representing the interests of more than 450 million players worldwide), which has stated that its application for .BASKETBALL is in the best interest of the sport. As basketball’s world governing body, FIBA is the sole valid contender for the .BASKETBALL domain name and does not support or authorize any other applicant as a valid steward of .BASKETBALL.

FIBA wants to ensure the .BASKETBALL is kept within the sport for the benefit of the global basketball community in order to uphold and promote the values and identity of the sport of basketball, and to protect the sport, its trademarks and the interests of its core stakeholders. FIBA is committed to ensuring .BASKETBALL is accountable to and used in the best interests of the game of basketball and the sports’ wider community.

FIBA Secretary General and IOC Member Patrick Baumann said: “In view of our values, mission and activities, FIBA is the only proper and rightful steward for the .BASKETBALL domain. It is not a question of ownership; rather we will ensure that everyone within the global basketball family can benefit. As the only applicant representing the entire basketball community, we will not support any other applicant.

Instead we are working in close partnership with our national federations and the wider basketball community with the aim of making the .BASKETBALL accessible to the global basketball family at all levels. This of course goes beyond FIBA and our National Federations to include professional and amateur players, event organisers and, of course, fans.” —– FIBA