Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1610 posts Aug 13, 2009
7:49 AM
Judkins you have the honor of hosting the last Public airsoft game at the Real Airsoft Battle Zone field.
Yes trace your Birthday airsoft game is cancelled.
Let me explain...Insurance for the field to remain open to the public is 10,000 dollars a year. A very small portion maybe 20 percent of this is collected via airsoft games and events. The rest comes from monies earned from the website traffic. We use this to help pay insurance, electric, taxes, heat and all the other bills Paladin told you of in his recent post. An Ireland based airsoft website?? has decided to duplicate and register our unique website name airsoftsoftbattlezone.com and for some reason the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN)still allows them to register Airsoft-Battle-Zone.com (to hard to think up a unique url of their own I guess)despite the obvious confusion exact duplicate URL and names can cause. Problem is Google and the other search engines do not see a difference between us as the dashes are basically ignored by search engine spiders. This has cut our internet traffic-revenue in half.
By closing the field to the public I can use the saved insurance premiums to launch a legal battle with and against these jerks, but it appears it will be expensive and may take a long time. For regular updates on this legal matter visit the thread Airsoft Dilemma I will continually update this thread as more information and our legal trademark proceedings progress through the court system.
Judy and I have enjoyed running the airsoft battle zone field for the past 4 years and will miss most of you dearly. Some private free games may be held at the field, but these will be by special invite only. Hope to see you all out at our last public airsoft game for the year on Sunday. We hope by the 2010 spring airsoft game season or sooner to have this resolved and the field open for public games again.
I Don't know what to say, I don't get to the field often but its the only one I know (besides apocalypse once a year) Lets make this last game count...
Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1615 posts Aug 13, 2009
10:14 AM
Air that would be an amazing start. But check the airsoft dilemma thread and you will see the issue I have with this. BTW, I love Star Wars! ---------- "Airsoft" Come share the welts!
Its seems like I've known you all forever but it's only been a year and a half man I'll miss you guys. I'll Try my hardest to be up there Sunday but it falls back on if my dad wants to go. If I could go by myself I'de be there in a heart beat. On the 22nd if you guys want to come to Rockford I'm hosting a game and I'de love to have you all show. ---------- If you dont see me look behind you. A&K spr owner Agm cqb owner
I sent them an email offering to buy their domain and buy them a new one. I also have some ideas about advertising for you (guncams on youtube). Please don't close the field Jason. We can work this out
This is very sad news to hear. :( ---------- Airsoft: the best thing since sliced bread
Last Edited on 13-Aug-2009 12:14 PM
Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1619 posts Aug 13, 2009
1:06 PM
Guys there is a good chance we will re-open in spring of 2010 or even before this. Judy and I just did a bad job of understanding how to protect the online website traffic revenue (not sales) which is the true revenue we use to fund the field. If these Irish guys are true to word and all the BS does not hurt us even more online, things will return to normal soon. Did you think the free games pay for all this? Snacks? That barely pays the electric bill out there for one month. Some of you may remember Paladins recent post? People complained and boycotted paid games so much we looked for and thought we had found an alternate way to fund the field safely to keep it open for everyone...it worked for awhile but now we know we were wrong in thinking it was secure. Before I risk this again I feel I have a responsibility to you guys (our community) and my family, to know where I truly stand legally with our websites, the field and the funding that keeps it in place or all of us are just wasting time and sweat equity in fairchild as someone else will come along and do the same thing to us. Again Judy and I are sorry for the inconvenience but rest assured we are working very hard in the background to be sure we can re-open the field for you guys ASAP and do not have this issue again or at least know where we stand legally should it happen in the future. ---------- "Airsoft" Come share the welts!
Ok guys. Lets show 'em the true American fighting spirit. The trumpets of war have sounded, Judy and Jason need our support and encouragement now more than ever. The battle has begun and we all must stand together for the sake of our beloved sport. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going!" ---------- -Paladin- Aide-de-Camp, AIRSOFT BATTLE ZONE.
Is there anything us average-joe twelve-year-olds can do to help out? Maybe link to you more and whatnot?
Also, we could possibly make a kickass high-production value commercial for ABZ with the help of Wolf and the Reapers. And of course by "We" I mean anyone on the forums is interested in planning out the commercial. We could have pryotechnics, after effects, music, maybe rent some nice cameras from a local tv production studio.
Not sure where to film it if you guys are closed, but still, something to think about. ---------- Beep! I'm a robot! Boop bop!
BB has a point there, we could "advertise", I myself isn't to bad with a camera and I know someone with some very nice editing software. Though I am only a one year veteran at ABZ I'll do anything to keep it on it's feet. ---------- a.k.a The AUG Guy
I like the idea of some kind of video support, but it would need to be expounded on a lot. Would it be a commercial to promote the field, or would it be a video for a fundraiser, or would it be more focused on the website?? Would you commit this video to the Internet only or would you try and air it on public TV channels???
I myself have amateur experience with HD video editing and especially shooting, and I enjoy it a lot - but I lack the, um, "legal" software to make it truly spectacular.
Just found this thread, I am very dissapointed...Not just in the closing of the field, but in the spirit of our airsoft "brethren". Jason and Judy work their tails off to keep the field in great shape and to keep all of us happy, yet there are still some of us that have the audacity to piss and moan about how a very small monitary fee is too much for you. I know times are hard, but I work/pay for my own entry fees, my own guns, my own gear, so you would think you guys could too. I definitely like the idea of a commercial. We could make it and host it on sites that allow videos like Youtube, Facebook, Myspace, as many sites as possible! Also, I would be glad to help organize a fundraiser of any kind. Anything to keep this field running! ---------- Mist Airsoft is now recruiting! www.judkinsa-mist.webs.com
Tuscan, I've got 93 Subs and a bunch of worthless videos. Lol, but if we did it, it might be best to make a new account.
Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1625 posts Aug 13, 2009
4:50 PM
Again you guys are welcome to do whatever positive things you can think of to help out and speed this process along.
At this time a fundraiser is not needed, perhaps later as we begin to incur legal expenses it may be something I will consider. Negative stuff is not condoned by us and you will only make us all look bad and get yourself banned from this site by me. The bottom line is the airsoft battle zone and the rest of our websites all seem to be vulnerable to this sort of attack due to MY lack of legal and internet knowledge in regards to this and other issues. I must educate myself first and then I can and will resolve this and expose the solutions online publically for whatever good can be learned by others from MY mistakes and to prevent others from assuming registering a URL and paying for a simple trademark can protect ones intellectual property. Understand our legal system grinds slowly and must be greased with cash accordingly to keep it moving at all. I do not want anyone’s pity cash for my education, but if you have a relative who is an attorney who deals with this sort of thing and can cut us a deal, or offer some good advice because they want to help, this would be huge. I believe if we approach these issues as a community, pool our resources as we do for the airsoft games, we will be past this issue quickly and the field will be open to the public in no time. What I need at this time most of all is factual information about the domain issues. I do like the idea of a video for airsoft and would be glad to open the field for this...Pick the date, but understand no official game can be held without insurance on the field. It does look like for now they have shut down the website as they said they would, but leaving this incident hang out there only leads to a continued vulnerability of this type of issue and they are not offering to transfer the domain meaning they can relaunch the URL at will. Honestly if you really give a Sh** then put your energies and efforts into ideas that will help promote the sport of airsoft and help other small airsoft operations avoid this type of pitfall.
I tried making a club for school but the board said it was to dangerous, and yet we have a PB club. ---------- leader of Cobra Airsoft Division A&K spr owner Agm cqb owner
I really don't think that the websites are really a big deal. I think that with some videos on youtube, the extra customers will more than cover up for the decrease in web traffic. As I told you, I may sell some affordable low end airsoft guns and maybe a digital scope or two, and I am willing to donate a percent of the proceeds to the field. I really hope that your field will be open for many years to come and I hope that next summer I will be able to drive out (with a shiny new license!) almost every available weekend I have. I, for one, am willing to donate as much time as I can to help ensure the longevity of Airsoft Battle Zone.
You should also post them on metacafe. You get money if enough people view a video. BTW, is the field going to be reopened in time for my birthday party game? I was really looking forward to it...
Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1627 posts Aug 13, 2009
7:53 PM
I think I have made it clear what the fields intended course is trace. Again I apologize for having to cancel your Birthday party game. Sorry my fingers are getting tired and I have much to do yet. I do not want to have a tired trigger finger at Sundays game :) ---------- "Airsoft" Come share the welts!
thats just dirty Jason...we all know what you use your trigger finger for anyways..................................................................repairing guns of course.
I do know a fair bit about the UCANN/ICANN and trademarks. Unfortunately, purchasing and registering a trademark only is valid in the country it is purchased/registered in. Intellectual property laws are pretty sketchy in the first place. There are a few organizations which are non-profit who can help you establish an international trademark (composed of individual trademarks in multiple countries). Concerning domain names, you can petition a ICANN UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) complaint if you own a trademark. I have actually inquired into it for my own purposes with a trademark I own, but, I decided that shutting down someone in California who was running a click-through site on one of my trademark's alternate TLDs was not worth the exorbitant fee it costs to petition. This might be a possible path for you, however I am unsure if the UDRP would apply since you do not seem to own the trademark in Ireland. I'm not a lawyer, so I would recommend you ask yours for more details. If you have any questions, feel free to send them my way, though I can't promise to know the answers, I might be able to help.
Well, I guess that's your choice to make Jason. I'll just have to find another airsoft field...
Armsdealer
ABZ owner 1628 posts Aug 13, 2009
10:47 PM
Thanks larry, your right about the costs and lawyer. I liken it to paying for a personal hands on lesson in internet and trademark law and from the looks of things I need it. Funny thing is no one can say for sure that it cannot be done and I am from the stupid class of the glass is half full. Kinda like if you do not ask the question how can you ever have the true answer. Besides if I find out these guys are legit, I am gonna hold a fundraiser game to send me to Ireland and light these guys up in a game, for being such a pain in my butt. ---------- "Airsoft" Come share the welts!
I'm saddened to hear this. I hope you can get all of this worked out. I know I'd have trekked out for a bunch of games this year already if not for busting up by leg in June. Now when I recover, the field may not even be open...(sigh) ---------- Hammer: Did we hit you? Me: YES! Hammer:Where? Me: EVERYWHERE!!!
What NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I find a great field to play and a great group of players. And it is closing. I have some friends that know some people. Ok maybe Armsdealer wont want me to do that. How about calling the Marines friends I have Oh wait Mrs. Armsdealer wont want that. How much do I have shoot pocket lint. If I sell my house there will be some money. Oh then there is the better half. Ok calling those first mentioned friends. Man they could take care of those Irish Bloks.
I am so very very sorry for the tragedy that has befallen us. Judy, Jason and everyone in the airsofting community has treated me like family ,and in return If there is anything and I mean anything that I can do for you guys please tell me what it is. I am more than happy to help with the video too I hope you guys can reopen the field soon
I have a camera that can mount to the side of a helmet or a weapon. Would make for some motivating film. ---------- You know what inspiration is? Its a momentary sensation of stupidity.
Proudly you gathered, rank on rank to war, As you heard God's message from afar; All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave To save mankind--yourself you scorned to save.
Well the only reason why I really mentioned it because I'm no longer a part of Wolf Recon, otherwise I would have been mentioned under that banner ;) It's all good though. I don't need the recognition for all those knuckles I've hurt.
---------- Kruser "That others may live."
Proudly you gathered, rank on rank to war, As you heard God's message from afar; All you had hoped for, all you had, you gave To save mankind--yourself you scorned to save.
