Two more new gTLDs have found the owners this week – and at the same time have lost prospects to start in any near future. It is about .DATA and .FOOD which destiny was decided at the closed private applicant auctions. Dish DBS, a provider of satellite communication and TV services, got the administration right of .DATA. One of Scripps Network subsidiaries, which owns the Food Network TV channel, will manage .FOOD. A problem consists in the fact both winners’ applications provide using of domains as closed generic ones. This term refers to domain names which aren’t brand names, but dictionary words of general usage. Nevertheless, registries plan to use them only for their own needs, without a possibility of third-party registration. According to the rules accepted by ICANN in June, closed generics were excluded from current new gTLD round. After that, the majority of applicants having planned to use them as closed generics made changes to their applications opening the possibilities of third-party registration.
However, neither Dish DBS, nor Scripps Networks did it, according to Domain Incite. It means that .DATA and .FOOD won't be launched in any near future. The companies-owners are likely to have purchased them "in store", hoping that the rules of closed generics usage can be reconsidered to the next ICANN’s new gTLD round.
