When Big Shots Drop the Ball: 5 Epic Domain Renewal Fails

Ever thought forgetting to renew your domain was no biggie? Think again. Here are five colossal blunders where major players dropped the ball—and paid the price.

1. Dallas Cowboys: The Ultimate Fumble

Year: 2010

What Went Down: The Dallas Cowboys, America's Team, forgot to renew their domain, dallascowboys.com. Fans seeking the latest scoop found a "for sale" sign and a photo of kids playing soccer. Talk about adding insult to injury during a losing season.

The Play-by-Play: Amidst a dismal 1-7 season and the firing of head coach Wade Phillips, the Cowboys let their domain expire. Within two days, they scrambled, paid the renewal fee, and set up auto-renewal. Crisis averted, but not without a bruise to their ego.

2. Google.com: When the Giant Stumbled

Year: 2015

What Went Down: Even tech titans aren't immune to slip-ups. Google forgot to renew its own domain, google.com. A former employee snagged it for a mere $12.

The Play-by-Play: Ex-Googler Sanmay Ved noticed the domain was available and purchased it. Google quickly reversed the transaction, rewarded Ved with $6,006.13 (which spells "Google" numerically), and likely sent out a company-wide "Oops" email.

3. Sorenson Communications: A $3 Million Oops

Year: 2016

What Went Down: Sorenson Communications let their domain expire, disrupting video relay services for individuals with hearing disabilities. For three days, users couldn't make emergency calls, leading to a $3 million fine from the FCC.

The Play-by-Play: An internal oversight led to the domain expiration, causing a service outage. The FCC penalized Sorenson for the critical lapse, emphasizing the importance of domain management, especially for essential services.

4. Foursquare: The Check-In That Checked Out

Year: 2010

What Went Down: Foursquare, the location-based social network, forgot to renew its domain, leading to a complete service shutdown.

The Play-by-Play: Despite securing $10 million in funding, Foursquare's oversight led to their domain expiring. Users were left stranded, unable to check in, until the company rectified the mistake.

5. Maryland's License Plate Lottery

Year: 2023

What Went Down: The Maryland Department of Transportation forgot to renew the domain linked to 798,000 license plates. Drivers were redirected to an online gambling site, causing statewide confusion.

The Play-by-Play: The domain's expiration led to the redirect, embarrassing officials and baffling residents. It served as a stark reminder of the importance of domain vigilance.

The Takeaway

Letting your domain expire can lead to more than just a broken link—it can tarnish your brand's reputation and trust. Set up auto-renewals, keep your contact info updated, and always double-check those expiration dates. Don't let your brand become the next cautionary tale.

‍