AFL beats NRL to new internet identity
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AAP
2012-06-14
The AFL has scored another win over the NRL, beating its rival code to an innovative new internet domain name.
Almost 2,000 businesses from around the world have applied for new domains after the governing body allowed their expansion beyond `.com' to more personalised addresses.
A list of applicants released overnight by the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) shows the AFL is one of 41 Australian applicants, seeking the '.afl' domain.
The NRL, in direct competition with the AFL for supporters in western Sydney and south east Queensland, was a notable omission from the list of applicants.
The head of Australia's ARI Registry Services, which supported many of the Australian applications, said publication of the list would leave some companies regretting their lack of action.
"I say that there will be a few people kicking themselves when they see that some of their major competitors have gone ahead and done this (made applications)," Adrian Kinderis said.
Westpac was another company left out, with its three rivals - ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and NAB - all applying for their own top-level domains.
Commonwealth applied for three separate top-level domains - `.cba', `.commbank' and `.netbank'.
Media companies made up a majority of the other applicants, including Seven, SBS and Telstra, while several universities are also seeking their own domains.
Retailers were notably absent from the list of Australian applicants, despite the growing popularity of online shopping.
Internationally, major companies such as Google, McDonald's, Ferrari, Nike and Apple were among those to apply.
Notable absentees included KFC, Porsche, Adidas and Facebook.
Both Coke and Pepsi did not apply for new domains.
