.baseball Pre-Register Domain - .baseball Domain Information

18.1 Mission and Purpose of .BASEBALL

Major League Baseball ("MLB") is the oldest professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the United States and Canada (the "MLB Clubs") representing the highest level of professional baseball.

MLB Advanced Media DH, LLC ("MLBAM DH") is a wholly owned subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. ("MLBAM"). MLBAM, which is indirectly owned by the MLB Clubs, is the Internet and interactive media company of MLB. MLBAM is the exclusive Internet and interactive media licensee of the MLB Clubs, which are entities that comprise MLB, as well as related entities including, but not limited to, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., Major League Baseball Enterprises, Inc., and Major League Baseball International (collectively, the "MLB Entities").

Through MLBAM, MLB has developed a highly successful, diverse, and innovative Internet and interactive media business. For over a decade, MLBAM has managed the Official Site of MLB, the official site of each MLB Club, and numerous additional related sites, to create the most comprehensive and popular MLB resource on the Internet. MLBAM offers many features via the Internet and interactive media, including up-to-the-moment game statistics and summaries, extensive historical information, online ticket sales, baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles, fantasy games, live and archived radio broadcasts of games, live and archived video webcasts of games, and pitch-by-pitch enactment of games.

Further, through MLBAM, MLB is a widely recognized innovator in the area of Internet content distribution. MLB.com's first live game webcast occurred in 2002, an innovation to better serve baseball fans in the pioneering tradition of the first radio broadcast of a baseball game in 1921 and the first television broadcast in 1939. Today, MLBAM's MLB.TV live video subscription service is the most successful and comprehensive of its kind, distributing thousands of baseball games each season to a global audience of baseball fans on personal computers and wireless devices. MLBAM's At Bat apps for wireless devices have consistently been among the most popular and highest grossing of their kind.

MLB is synonymous with the highest level of professional baseball globally. Indeed, MLB is often referred to in common parlance as "Baseball" for many reasons, including MLB's long and rich history, its tremendous popularity for over a century and efforts popularize baseball on an international scale. MLB's International popularity is demonstrated by the fact that game telecasts are distributed worldwide via the Internet, and internationally to over 200 countries via television.

MLB has supported numerous baseball leagues and organizations throughout the world, and is also instrumental in the grassroots global development of baseball.

The mission and purpose of the .BASEBALL gTLD is (1) to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace for baseball fans, and Internet users in general; (2) to protect MLB's online presence, identity, brand, and intellectual property and related rights; (3) to offer a platform through which to provide a single-source identifying function for baseball-related information, content, goods, and services; and potentially advance other objectives including the following: expanding baseball-related online advertising, marketing, and promotional efforts; providing a new secure channel for the online sale and distribution of baseball-related information, content, products, and services; and potentially offering a new platform through which legitimate baseball organizations can distribute and exchange baseball-related information, content, products, and services.

MLBAM is analyzing potential use case options for the type of domain names that will be permitted for registration, as well as the potential universe of .BASEBALL registrants. In undertaking this research, MLB and MLBAM are leveraging their extensive knowledge, experience and relationships with commercial and charitable entities.

MLBAM DH currently envisions a three-stage rollout for the .BASEBALL gTLD:

1. Stage 1
The initial stage of implementation of the gTLD will involve MLBAM DH registering a limited number of .BASEBALL second-level domain names. This initial use will provide MLBAM DH's information technology and security personnel the opportunity to conduct tests to ensure seamless and secure access using the .BASEBALL gTLD domain names.

2. Stage 2
Once all testing has been successfully completed, MLBAM DH will begin allocating domain names for use by MLBAM, on its own behalf, and on behalf of the MLB Entities. It is in Stage 2 that MLBAM DH will evaluate expanding the operations of the gTLD to permit registration by other third-party registrants. Should this assessment lead to a decision to extend registration rights, this expansion is currently planned to take place during Stage 3.

3. Stage 3
In Stage 3, MLBAM DH will evaluate a potential expansion of the registration and use of the .BASEBALL domain names by third parties with a separate, qualifying commercial or charitable agreement with an MLB Entity, such as, but not limited, to media rights holders, licensees, sponsors, strategic partners, sanctioned charities ("Qualified Entities"). Additionally, MLBAM DH will also evaluate whether to allow registration by third parties that have established themselves as a legitimate baseball entity ("Qualified Third Parties"). It is the current intention that MLBAM DH would require any class of future potential registrants to be in compliance with and legally bound by qualifying criteria. Any decision to expand the gTLD, would likely be predicated by a MLBAM DH analysis of the market for new gTLD registrations and consumer adoption of these new Internet addresses.

MLBAM DH anticipates implementing a throttle mechanism to ensure that any future expansion is controlled and responsible. This proposed "time-out" mechanism is described in greater detail in the responses Questions 45 through 50 of this application. Such potential expansion would be subject to a proper feasibility analysis to ensure that there are no potential impacts on the security and stability of the .BASEBALL gTLD.

The potential use of the .BASEBALL gTLD by Qualified Entities or Qualified Third Parties will be determined primarily by MLBAM's future business strategies. Using current projections based upon MLBAMʹs existing businesses, future business plans, current domain name portfolio, and other strategic factors, MLBAM DH estimates that second-level domain name registrations will be consistent with the projections set forth in the financial template provided in the answer to Question 46 of this application.

18.2 How do you expect that your proposed gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others?

MLBAM DH expects that the proposed .BASEBALL gTLD will benefit registrants, Internet users, and others in numerous ways, including by serving as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace for baseball fans, and Internet users in general. As described above, millions use MLBAM's online sites and services for many purposes, including to access and enjoy MLB- and baseball-related content, and to purchase merchandise and tickets.

In addition, the .BASEBALL gTLD will help protect MLB's online presence and identity. By serving as a trusted source identifier that will provide a new, secure channel for the distribution of MLB-related goods, services, and content, the .BASEBALL gTLD will benefit baseball fans, and Internet users in general. It will help them to navigate to MLBAM's official and trusted online sites and services, and away from unauthorized, rogue online sites and services that falsely and intentionally portray themselves as sanctioned by MLB. At such rogue online sites and services, Internet users are vulnerable to illegal and harmful activities including, but not limited to, credit card and identity theft, distribution of malware, phishing, cybersquatting, counterfeiting, and content piracy.

In addition, the .BASEBALL gTLD can potentially establish a trusted online hub for baseball fans, organizations, and Internet users around the world seeking information, online content, goods, and services related to baseball.

In addition, when MLBAM DH allocates domain names for use by MLBAM, on its own behalf, and on behalf of the MLB Entities, and potentially for use by Qualified Entities and Qualified Third Parties, each will benefit from short, memorable, intuitive, and trusted Internet addresses and increased ability to present MLB or baseball-related information, content, goods, and services to baseball fans, and Internet users in general, while minimizing the cost and need for defensive registrations because domain names within the .BASEBALL gTLD will only be allocated by MLBAM DH to its parent company, MLBAM, to the MLB Entities, and potentially to Qualified Entities and Qualified Third Parties.

18.2.1 What is the goal of your proposed gTLD in terms of areas of specialty, service levels, or reputation?

A basic mission and purpose of the .BASEBALL gTLD is to serve as a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive online namespace for baseball fans, and Internet users in general. Through this namespace, baseball-related information, content, goods, and services will be aggregated and offered. Through MLBAM, MLB is a recognized innovator in Internet content distribution. As relevant technology has evolved, MLBAM has continued to pursue and expand upon new opportunities to distribute content to, and better serve, baseball fans, and Internet users in general, on a worldwide basis, on a variety of platforms, including wireless devices. MLBAM DH believes that the .BASEBALL gTLD has the potential to provide an innovative, virtual avenue that will deepen and broaden MLB's relationship with baseball fans around the world, global online audiences, and further MLB's reputation as an innovator.

MLBAM will be able to provide access to baseball-related information, content, goods, and services in a new, secure, and trusted online namespace devoid of illegal and harmful activities, including, but not limited to, credit card and identity theft, distribution of malware, phishing, pharming, cybersquatting, counterfeiting, and content piracy.

Providing consumers with safe, secure, and trusted experience is paramount to MLBAM DH and MLBAM.

18.2.2 What do you anticipate your proposed gTLD will add to the current space, in terms of competition, differentiation, or innovation?

Unlike most generic gTLDs that ICANN has approved over the last decade, which have largely been operated by Internet startups and have been primarily dependent upon ICANN-accredited registrars to market and promote their gTLDs, through MLBAM, MLB is a widely recognized innovator in the area of Internet content distribution and is recognized for leveraging emerging online technologies to deliver information, content, goods, and services to its fans and Internet users in general on an international scale. As a gTLD that embodies the popular sport that MLB is centered around, the driving factors behind the .BASEBALL gTLD are differentiation and innovation.

The .BASEBALL gTLD from its launch will be a trusted online source of information about baseball. MLBAM will follow its established good business practices in working with law enforcement to create an environment and potential marketplace with safeguards designed to minimize fraud and other illegal activity.

18.2.3 What goals does your proposed gTLD have in terms of user experience?

MLBAM DH believes that the .BASEBALL gTLD will provide a trusted, hierarchical, and intuitive namespace for baseball fans, and Internet users in general that do or might in the future access MLBAM's sites and services, or the sites of these Qualified Entities. In addition to providing consumers with short, memorable, trusted, and intuitive domain names and improved user navigation, the .BASEBALL gTLD will create a new, secure, and trusted online namespace devoid of illegal and harmful activities, including, but not limited to, credit card and identity theft, distribution of malware, phishing, cybersquatting, counterfeiting, and content piracy.

18.2.4 Provide a complete description of the applicant's intended registration policies in support of the goals listed above.

The .BASEBALL gTLD is intended to be exclusively used by MLBAM for itself and potentially the MLB Entities, Qualified Entities, and Qualified Third Parties. Because of these conditions precedent, any registration and use requirements are more appropriately vested in corporate/affiliate, commercial, or membership agreements, and not in a domain name registration agreement.

While MLBAM DH is fully supportive of, and committed to, ICANN's bottom-up, consensus-driven model, the MLB mark is a valuable brand whose protection is of paramount importance; therefore, any registration and use requirements (e.g., trademark quality control provisions) must vest in these other agreements.

MLBAM DH will incorporate all required ICANN consensus policies and other legal/policy requirements imposed on new gTLD applicants into the terms and conditions of the domain name registration agreements.

18.2.5 Will your proposed gTLD impose any measures for protecting the privacy or confidential information of registrants or users? If so, please describe any such measures

As a leading interactive media and Internet company, MLBAM is committed to safeguarding the privacy and confidential information of the users of its sites and services. MLBAM employs a variety of physical, electronic, contractual, and managerial safeguards to protect the privacy and confidential information of the users of its sites and services. MLBAM DH will take appropriate precautions to protect private or confidential registrant and user data associated with the .BASEBALL gTLD.

In addition, MLBAM DH intends to incorporate contractual language in its Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA) modeled after language that has been included in the template Registry Agreement and that has been successfully utilized by existing ICANN gTLD Registry Operators:

"Registry Operator shall (i) notify each ICANN-accredited registrar that is a party to the registry-registrar agreement for the TLD of the purposes for which data about any identified or identifiable natural person ("Personal Data") submitted to Registry Operator by such registrar is collected and used under this Agreement or otherwise and the intended recipients (or categories of recipients) of such Personal Data, and (ii) require such registrar to obtain the consent of each registrant in the TLD for such collection and use of Personal Data. Registry Operator shall take reasonable steps to protect Personal Data collected from such registrar from loss, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction. Registry Operator shall not use or authorize the use of Personal Data in a way that is incompatible with the notice provided to registrars."

18.2.6 Describe whether and in what ways outreach and communications will help to achieve your projected benefits.

MLBAM DH and MLBAM recognize the potential for the .BASEBALL gTLD to serve as a component of the MLB Entities' future online strategic initiatives; however, there remain a number of unanswered questions concerning consumer recognition and adoption of new gTLDs in the marketplace that first must be fully answered to MLBAM's satisfaction.

After careful analysis of a targeted rollout using the new .BASEBALL domains, MLBAM DH may plan to engage in a broader, strategic initiative, should the results be positive. The actual usage of .BASEBALL domain names will dictate what public communications and consumer outreach may be done to encourage navigation to the .BASEBALL gTLD. This is not limited to, but may include advertising, media outreach, in-ballpark communications, and email campaigns.

18.3.1 What operating rules will you adopt to eliminate or minimize social costs (e.g., time or financial resource costs, as well as various types of consumer vulnerabilities)?

MLBAM DHʹs proposed operating rules to limit registration to MLBAM, the MLB Entities, and potentially to Qualified Entities and Qualified Third Parties, will provide a number of benefits, as well as a trusted online environment for baseball fans, and Internet users in general. Trademark and brand ownersʹ costs will be mitigated, since there will be no need to defensively register second-level domains in the .BASEBALL gTLD. In addition, this verified namespace will provide consumers with a single, trusted source for baseball-related information, content, goods, and services with a substantially lower risk of exposure to phishing, fraud and/or other Internet scams, thus reducing the level of consumer vulnerability.

18.3.2 What other steps will you take to minimize negative consequences/costs imposed upon consumers?

MLBAM DH believes that the proposed operation of the .BASEBALL gTLD as set forth in this application has no known negative consequences or cost implications to consumers. On the contrary, the proposed operation of this registry will likely lead to direct benefits to consumers.

18.3.3 How will multiple applications for a particular domain name be resolved, for example, by auction or on a first-come/first-serve basis?

MLBAM DH does not envision multiple applicants for the same domain name, as domain names will only be allocated to MLBAM, and potentially to MLB Entities, Qualified Entities, and other Qualified Third Parties.

18.3.4 Explain any cost benefits for registrants you intend to implement (e.g., advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, bulk registration discounts).

MLBAM DH does not envision any advantageous pricing, introductory discounts, or bulk registration discounts because these marketing/commercial initiatives are inconsistent with the mission and purpose of the .BASEBALL gTLD as a trusted online source identifier for MLBAM, the MLB Entities, and potentially Qualified Entities and Qualified Third Parties. Moreover, it is the current intention of MLBAM to have MLBAM DH provide domain name registrations to MLBAM and the MLB Entities at no cost, though the company reserves the right to reevaluate this decision and may choose to impose a nominal fee in the future. Any potential registrant fees imposed will be made in the future if Qualified Entities are permitted to register domain names in the .BASEBALL gTLD.

18.3.5 Note that the Registry Agreement requires that registrars be offered the option to obtain initial domain name registrations for periods of one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar, but no greater than ten years. Additionally, the Registry Agreement requires advance written notice of price increases. Do you intend to make contractual commitments to registrants regarding the magnitude of price escalation? If so, please describe your plans.

MLBAM DH is committed to providing the domain name registration periods set forth in the Registry Agreement. However, as noted above, the registration and use of a .BASEBALL domain name is conditional upon a separate relationship with an MLB Entity or potentially meeting qualifying criteria that establishes a third party as a legitimate baseball organization.

Therefore, providing contractual commitments in a domain name registrant agreement regarding the magnitude of price escalations does not seem relevant or appropriate. Additionally, as noted above, the current business model envisions MLBAM DH providing domain name registrations at no cost in at least the first two stages.

MLBAM DH acknowledges that the current template Registry Agreement requires that the Registry Operator "shall offer registrars the option to obtain registration periods for one to ten years at the discretion of the registrar." However, MLBAM, as the sole registrant within the .BASEBALL gTLD, intends to only register domain names on an annual basis through a single registrar. This is done to better account for costs on an annual basis as well as to provide for more concise financial statements in Question 46 (i.e., no multi-year registration or deferred revenue) of this application.

22 MLB Advanced Media DH, LLC Has Properly Researched This Topic

MLB Advanced Media DH, LLC ("MLBAM DH") recognizes the importance of protecting country and territory identifiers in the Domain Name System (DNS). In preparation for answering this question, MLBAM DH considered relevant background material regarding the protection of geographic names in the DNS, including the following:

-ICANN Board Resolution 01-92 regarding the methodology developed for the reservation and release of country names in the .INFO top-level domain, see http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-10sep01.htm;
-ICANN's Proposed Action Plan on .INFO Country Names, see http://www.icann.org/en/meetings/montevideo/action-plan-country-names-09oct01.htm;
-"Report of the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process: The Recognition and Rights and the Use of Names in the Internet Domain Name System," Section 6, Geographical Identifiers, see http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/processes/process2/report/html/report.html;
-ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) Principles Regarding New gTLDs, see https://gacweb.icann.org/download/attachments/1540128/gTLD_principles_0.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1312358178000;
-ICANN's Generic Names Supporting Organization Reserved Names Working Group - Final Report, see http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/final-report-rn-wg-23may07.htm.

22.1 Initial Reservation of Country and Territory Names

MLBAM DH is committed to initially reserving all country and territory names contained in the internationally recognized lists described in Article 5 of Specification 5 attached to the New gTLD Applicant Guidebook at the second level and at all other levels in the .BASEBALL gTLD, within which MLBAM DH will provide for registrations. Specifically, MLBAM DH will reserve:

1. The short form (in English) of all country and territory names contained on the ISO 3166-1 list, as updated from time to time, including the European Union, which is exceptionally reserved on the ISO 3166-1 list, and its scope extended in August 1999 to any application needing to represent the name European Union, see http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3155_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#EU;

2. The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Technical Reference Manual for the Standardization of Geographical Names, Part III Names of Countries of the World; and

3. The list of United Nations member states in six official United Nations languages prepared by the Working Group on Country Names of the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names.

22.2 Fair & Non-Misleading Use of Geographical Identifiers

Major League Baseball ("MLB") is the oldest professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the United States and Canada (the "MLB Clubs") representing the highest level of professional baseball.

Applicant MLBAM DH is a wholly owned subsidiary of MLB Advanced Media, L.P. ("MLBAM"). MLBAM, which is indirectly owned by the MLB Clubs, is the Internet and interactive media company of MLB. MLBAM is the exclusive Internet and interactive media licensee of the MLB Clubs, which are entities that comprise MLB, as well as other related entities including, but not limited to, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball Properties, Inc., Major League Baseball Enterprises, Inc., and Major League Baseball International (collectively, the "MLB Entities").

Through MLBAM, MLB has developed a highly successful, diverse, and innovative Internet and interactive media business. For over a decade, MLBAM has managed the Official Site of Major League Baseball (MLB.com), the official site of each MLB Club (e.g., the Official Site of the St. Louis Cardinals (cardinals.com)), and numerous additional sites related to MLB (e.g., the Official Site of the World Series (worldseries.com)), to create the most comprehensive and popular MLB resource on the Internet. Among the many features MLBAM offers via the Internet and interactive media are up-to-the-moment game statistics and summaries, extensive historical information, online ticket sales, baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles, fantasy games, live and archived radio broadcasts of games, live and archived video webcasts of games, and pitch-by-pitch enactment of games.

MLBAM's content is accessible in numerous languages, and across the globe. MLBAM operates and manages MLB domain names in the .COM gTLD as well as in the .AM, .BZ, .CM, .CA, .CN, .CO, .DO, .EU, .DE, .HK, .JP, .KR, .MX, .FM, .ME, .NZ, .WS, .ES, .CH, .TW, .TM, TV, .UK, and .US ccTLDs.

Given this geographic approach to finding MLB content, and given that MLBAM markets baseball-related content across the globe, MLBAM DH intends to explore the option of providing a hierarchical and intuitive framework for the .BASEBALL namespace by using geographical identifiers as second-level and subsequent-level domain names (e.g., third-level, fourth-level, etc.). MLBAM DH believes the use of geographical identifiers to the left of the gTLD and as part of the domain name itself can have a beneficial direct and material impact on search engine algorithms and their corresponding query results. In addition, such naming conventions are intuitive and practiced by direct navigation MLB fans and Internet users in general (those who type their intended destination into address bars as opposed to search engines). Since the MLB Clubs all have geographical identifiers as part of their brand, including a geographical identifier for domain names may be intuitive and beneficial for MLB and baseball fans, and Internet users in general. MLBAM DH would like to determine if this type of hierarchical and intuitive use of second-level and subsequent-level domains within a gTLD provides increased consumer functionality, as premised by ICANN.

Currently, MLBAM operates a number of corporate websites using a combination of top-level domain names, along with a variety of second-level and subsequent-level domain names. A representative sampling of MLB-related domain names used by MLBAM that incorporate geographical identifiers into the domain name include:

AngelsBaseball.tv
Baseball.am
BaseballChannel.am
BaseballChannel.tw
BaseballChannel.co.nz
BeisbolDominicana.com
MajorLeagueBaseball.com.cn
RaysBaseball.jp
ArizonaDiamondbacksBaseball.com
ColoradoRockiesBaseball.asia
MinorLeagues.eu
LigasCaribe.com
AllstarGame.us

22.3 The Legal Protection of Geographical Identifiers

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) authored an authoritative resource on the current state of the law in connection with the protection of geographical identifiers, its 2001 "Report of the Second WIPO Internet Domain Name Process: The Recognition of Rights and the Use of Names in the Internet Domain Name System" ("WIPO Report"). Section six of the WIPO Report was devoted exclusively to the protection of Geographical Identifiers.

From its analysis of the well established framework against the misuse of geographical identifiers at the international, regional, and national levels, WIPO identified the following two elements for the protection of geographical identifiers: (i) a prohibition of false descriptions of the geographical source of goods; and (ii) a more extensive set of rules prohibiting the misuse of one class of geographical source indicators, known as geographical indications (See WIPO Report Paragraphs 206 and 210). Neither false descriptions of the geographical source of goods, nor misuse of geographical indications, is present in MLBAM DH's current or proposed use of geographical identifiers.

MLBAM avoids business practices that could potentially mislead consumers. MLBAM DH does believe that it is important to be able to use geographical identifiers in a fair and non-misleading manner, if such use can benefit MLB fans and Internet users in general as proposed in MLBAM DH's business model.

22.4 Samples of Fair & Non-Misleading Use of Geographical Identifiers

In undertaking a thorough research of this subject matter prior to filing this application, MLBAM DH was able to uncover the following examples of fair and non-misleading use of geographical identifiers used in the existing gTLD domain name space:

Fair Use of National Geographical Identifiers

USA.JOBS - Is operated by DirectEmployers Association (DE). While Employ Media, the registry operator of the .JOBS gTLD, is currently in a dispute with ICANN regarding the allocation of this and other domain names, DE has a series of partnerships and programs with the United States Department of Labor, the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, and Facebook to help unemployed workers find jobs.

Fair Use of Regional/Local Geographic Identifiers

BROOKLYN.COOP - Is operated by Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union, which began as a modest storefront business in 2001, but is now New York City's fastest growing credit union and a model for community development credit unions nationwide.

22.5 Protection of Regional and Local Geographic Names for Non-Misleading Use

MLBAM DH has stated its intention to consider using non-reserved geographic identifiers as part of a hierarchical and intuitive framework in a fair and non-misleading manner to help consumers navigate the .BASEBALL namespace. MLBAM DH is committed to operating the .BASEBALL gTLD in a manner that minimizes potential consumer confusion, and will actively work with others in the ICANN community regarding any future policy development in this area.

22.6 Potential Future Release of Initially Reserved Names

Given that MLBAM DH's parent company, MLBAM, is the Internet and interactive media company of MLB, which is the oldest professional sports league in the United States, consisting of 30 member clubs in the United States and Canada, and represents the highest level of professional baseball, MLBAM DH looks forward to collaborating with other new gTLD registry operators (especially .BRANDs) in potentially working with ICANN's GAC to explore processes that could permit the release of initially reserved country names (including ISO-3166 two-characters). Specifically, MLBAM DH is interested in exploring other Registry Service Evaluation Processes (RSEP) that have been filed by existing gTLD registry operators in releasing previously reserved domain names.

22.7 Dispute Resolution

MLBAM DH does not envision any potential disputes from governments or public authorities in connection with the registration and use of geographic names within the .BASEBALL gTLD based upon its proposed use set forth in the response to Question 18 of this application.

However, MLBAM DH is committed to working with governments, public authorities, or IGOs that may have a concern regarding the registration of names with national or geographic significance at the second level and at any other levels within the .BASEBALL gTLD. Therefore, should any disputes arise, MLBAM DH will immediately initiate steps to undertake a policy development process as described below.

22.8 Creation and Updating the Policies

Should the need arise in the future for the creation or updating of the policies regarding this class of domain names, MLBAM DH will act in an open and transparent manner to develop such a policy and/or recommendation.

MLBAM DH is also committed to continually reviewing and updating these lists to prevent the misleading use of geographical identifiers. Consistent with this commitment, MLBAM DH intends to participate in any ongoing ICANN policy discussion regarding the protection of geographic names within the DNS.