London 2012 - how to house those millions ...

[mattp_76]

Hello ..

I recently created http://www.london2012rentmyhouse.com to address an issue which will be upon us during the 2012 games.

Millions of visitors will be looking for somewhere to stay in 2012. Sydney 2000 homeowners recognised this by letting their own private acccommodation to help and but also as a financial opportunity.

The site has already caused quite a stir, including a BBC TV article on the news - weds 2nd may. There will also be some coverage on BBC points west shortly.

My site (idea) hopes to support the games and the administration of the games by facilitating the accommodation of millions of visitors in 2012. This is anticipated to be a real problem, that needs to resolved.

I hope my site can play an important role in solving this poblem and the olympic authorities will appreciate this......

Your comments would be appreciated....

Matt
www.london2012rentmyhouse.com

[divingbrit]

WHIZZ KID WINS OLYMPIC BATTLE

Matthew Parker is celebrating victory in his wrangle with the Olympic organisers.The Cheltenham computer whizz kid will get to keep his house rental website - but the domain name will have to change.

Although he feels bullied by the big wigs from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, the 30-year-old is celebrating.

He is being allowed to redirect the original address to the new one.
"The new website is exactly the same as the old one, just more generic," he said.

"I'm satisfied with the result, but I'm still disappointed I couldn't keep the old one."

The dispute has lasted for five months. LOCOG argued that Matthew was cashing in on the status of the Olympics by using 2012 in his domain name.

Matthew says he is providing a service to homeowners in London by offering somewhere for them to meet potential tenants.

He says the £5 he charges for registering is to cover the time and administration costs of setting up the site.

He said: "It took a lot of work to set the site up and it's time consuming maintaining it. The £5 is a nominal fee just to cover that."

LOCOG said 2012 was their trademark, and Matthew was infringing on that by using it in his web address.

Matthew said: "Because they have the trademark, my hands are tied.

"I've taken legal advice and been told I would probably lose if I went to court."

Matthew and LOCOG have reached an agreement allowing the old address to be redirected to the new one.

Matthew's website sparked interest all the way to the top of LOCOG. He even received a letter from Lord Coe.

The old web address is www.london2012rentmyhouse.com . The new one is www.londonrentmyhouse.com .

Reader comments
A bit petty if you ask me,It is just a date a year on the calender,rentmyhouse certainly looks nothing like LOCOG.I cannot possibly see how anyone could say he had used someone elses trademark by including the year 2012 on his website,does this mean that everyone who wishes to pre date anything to that year for something in London are using someone elses trademark,and can be sued.N.S.Miles
Norman Milesc, Chengdu,China


Gloucestershire Echo

[Geoff]

If this is the case, and LOCOG have indeed forced Matt to change his website because he used '2012' within it, LOCOG may have opened the floodgates to other companies who also have trademarked similar numbers, including a few large car manufacturers like Peugeot, Porsche and BMW to name but a few!

Trademark law isn't my speciality, but it's ridiculous to be able to trademark a date and a city and claim exclusive rights to the use of them to the absolute exclusion of everyone else.

If this is the case then there will be a flurry of trademark applications for dates in the very near future.

Can you imagine the possible future scenarios "sorry sir, you can't use london 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011... or London 2012 in any of your publications or sales literature, nope, sorry, these terms have been trademarked!"

This has far wider and darker trademark implications than for just London and the 2012 Olympics - Think about Wembley football for example in 2014 or the General Election in 2008/9, here's a thought, how about trademarking the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 before they do

This is stupid!

[Geoff]

Why aren't the newspapers like the Guardian, the Times or the Daily Mail getting involved in this?

[mattp_76]

Hello ...

So you came across the recent story in the Glos Echo Newspaper.

They phoned me recently asking for an update. I said that having a redirect was a 'positive result' and that I am still in discussions with LOCOG so would appreciate it if they would not run any stories just yet. They did anyway!!

The story itself is correct. The headline got me a little!. I must say that LOCOG have been very reasonable in allowing me to redirect traffic to www.londonrentmyhouse.com.

Of course, I am dissapointed that I am unable to continue my website in its current form - london2012rentmyhouse.com. As Geoff pointed out it is a shame, not just for me but many others, that they LOCOG have used a very strict trademark policy in protecting the Olympic Marks eg: 2012, games, london 2012 etc .... and this could set an example for other large companies to do the same.

LOCOG do need to protect their sponsors but in doing this many people and businesses will miss out on massive opportunities.

As time goes by this will become a major issue and talking point as people realise.

I was looking at an article in the Telegraph yesterday about the '2012 Games Readiness Survey' which shows that businesses are not preparing for the massive opportunities during London 2012. I am not sure how they are supposed to prepare when they cannot associate themselves in any way to the Games.

matt

[divingbrit]

interesting www.kent2012.com now redirects to www.Kentsport.org but the website is still the same.

[divingbrit]

Get away from the Olympics

A new Newham website claims to "bring together people who live near the Olympic venues in Stratford" and who want to get away from the Games in 2012 "with visitors or media types from around the world who face renting accommodation in one of the most expensive cities in the world."

Escape 2012 offers to put visitors who are looking for somewhere to rent in 2012 in contact with local people looking to escape the Olympic madness.

Apparently it has been created by local people who have been involved in community campaigns or voluntary groups in east London and who "were, it has to be said, pretty much opposed to the hosting of the Olympics in the midst of our communities. But now it's happening and we just have to live with it... By getting as far away as we possibly can."

For more, visit www.escape2012.org.uk
radicalactivistnewham.org.uk

[TorC]

Originally Posted by mattp_76

LOCOG have used a very strict trademark policy in protecting the Olympic Marks eg: 2012, games, london 2012 etc

Interesting that this '*Unofficial* 2012 London Olympics forum' has not had this problem then isn't it.

[richard]

TorC, I am quite sure that LOCOG are indeed watching our 'UNOFFICIAL' news forum like a hawk, but we've never attempted to hide the fact that we are an 'UNOFFICIAL London 2012 Olympics forum'. Read the note at the bottom of the page or at the top of the page which states quite clearly that we are NOT connected in any way or form with the official Olympic sites. Can't really make it much plainer than that can we!

NOTE: www.the2012londonolympics.com is an UNOFFICIAL London 2012 Olympics forum and is NOT affiliated with, or endorsed by London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United States Olympic Committee (USOC), or National Olympic Committee (NOC) of any country. Disclaimer Notice: By providing links to other websites, we do not guarantee, approve or endorse the information or products available, nor does a link indicate any association with or endorsement by the linked website to www.the2012londonolympics.com We're just passionate for the success of the London2012 Games. E&OE