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→Cramton Associates
The company is led by [[Monte Cahn]] and [[Mike Berkens]], two very well-known [[domainer]]s and industry veterans. They note that they have 17 years of domain auction knowledge and experience and have conducted tens of thousands of auctions. They emphasize their industry knowledge and personal connections are a unique asset that they bring to bear, and believe it will empower them to bring more applicants to the table compared to non-industry service providers.<ref name="CircleID Comments"></ref> Right Of The Dot has received an Auction Business License for Contention Resolution Services by the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation for the exact purpose of: New TLD Contention Resolution and Consulting Services including Private Auction Services for competing applicants, Internet Domain Name Auctions, Sales, Brokerage, and Management Services.<ref name="ROTD About"></ref> [[Right of the Dot]] is not only offering auction services, but an entire full-service gTLD consultancy, from positioning the domain pre-launch to guiding it through managed and unique launch programs, identifying premium names for auction, later traffic and domain monetization, and beyond. They have secured a number of high-profile partners, such as [[Architelos]], to assist them in their work.<ref>[http://rightofthedot.com/about/ About, RightOfTheDot.com]Retrieved 7 Jan 2013</ref>
The company is led by [[Monte Cahn]] and [[Mike Berkens]], two very well-known [[domainer]]s and industry veterans. They note that they have 17 years of domain auction knowledge and experience and have conducted tens of thousands of auctions. They emphasize their industry knowledge and personal connections are a unique asset that they bring to bear, and believe it will empower them to bring more applicants to the table compared to non-industry service providers.<ref name="CircleID Comments"></ref> Right Of The Dot has received an Auction Business License for Contention Resolution Services by the State of Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation for the exact purpose of: New TLD Contention Resolution and Consulting Services including Private Auction Services for competing applicants, Internet Domain Name Auctions, Sales, Brokerage, and Management Services.<ref name="ROTD About"></ref> [[Right of the Dot]] is not only offering auction services, but an entire full-service gTLD consultancy, from positioning the domain pre-launch to guiding it through managed and unique launch programs, identifying premium names for auction, later traffic and domain monetization, and beyond. They have secured a number of high-profile partners, such as [[Architelos]], to assist them in their work.<ref>[http://rightofthedot.com/about/ About, RightOfTheDot.com]Retrieved 7 Jan 2013</ref>
===Cramton Associates===
===Applicant Auction===
During [[ICANN 45]] in Toronto, auction expert Dr. [[Peter Cramton]] outlined an "ascending clock" model, where a price is increased by the auctioneer at each stage; bidders and sellers can then either drop out or bid on the increased amount.<ref name="domainincite">[http://domainincite.com/10828-heres-how-donuts-wants-to-resolve-its-158-new-gtld-contention-fights Here's how Donuts wants to resolve its 158 new gTLD contention fights]. Domain Incite. Published 2012 October 23. Retrieved 2012 November 13.</ref> ICANN has identified the same style of auction for its own Auction of Last Resort.<ref>[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/aa/cramton-applicant-auction-in-brief.pdf Applicant Auction in Brief, Cramton.umd.edu]Published 21 Nov 2012, retrieved Jan 7 2013</ref> At his presentation following the ICANN Draw in December, 2012, Dr. Cramton also also addressed a sequential first-price sealed bid, noting that the ascending clock model is still preferred given that it involves: better price discovery, better deposit management, reduced tendency to overbid, and is more consistent with the ICANN Auction of Last Resort.<ref name="Cramton Draw Proposal">[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/aa/cramton-applicant-auction-conference-slides.pdf Cramton Applicant Auction Conference Slides, Cramton.umd.edu]Retrieved Jan 7 2013]</ref> He continues to defend his decision to exclusively offer one style of auction, as opposed to [[Right of the Dot]]'s three options, by writing on [[CircleID]], "Choosing an auction design is not a matter of taste, or of favoring one bidder over another. There is a whole field in economics concerned with determining what the best auction is for a particular situation. Thousands of scientific papers have been written on the subject and much has been learned from decades of study." He goes on to note that using an independent system and auction provider, uniform across auctions, takes away the need to negotiate the auction style between the parties and creates a more predictable playing field.<ref name="CircleID Faq">[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20130107_rationale_for_tld_applicant_auctions_to_resolve_string_contentions/ Rationale for TLD Applicant Auctions to Resolve Strings, CircleId.com]Published 8 Jan 2013, Retrieved 8 Jan 2013</ref>
During [[ICANN 45]] in Toronto, auction expert Dr. [[Peter Cramton]] outlined an "ascending clock" model, where a price is increased by the auctioneer at each stage; bidders and sellers can then either drop out or bid on the increased amount.<ref name="domainincite">[http://domainincite.com/10828-heres-how-donuts-wants-to-resolve-its-158-new-gtld-contention-fights Here's how Donuts wants to resolve its 158 new gTLD contention fights]. Domain Incite. Published 2012 October 23. Retrieved 2012 November 13.</ref> ICANN has identified the same style of auction for its own Auction of Last Resort.<ref>[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/aa/cramton-applicant-auction-in-brief.pdf Applicant Auction in Brief, Cramton.umd.edu]Published 21 Nov 2012, retrieved Jan 7 2013</ref> At his presentation following the ICANN Draw in December, 2012, Dr. Cramton also also addressed a sequential first-price sealed bid, noting that the ascending clock model is still preferred given that it involves: better price discovery, better deposit management, reduced tendency to overbid, and is more consistent with the ICANN Auction of Last Resort.<ref name="Cramton Draw Proposal">[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/aa/cramton-applicant-auction-conference-slides.pdf Cramton Applicant Auction Conference Slides, Cramton.umd.edu]Retrieved Jan 7 2013]</ref> He continues to defend his decision to exclusively offer one style of auction, as opposed to [[Right of the Dot]]'s three options, by writing on [[CircleID]], "Choosing an auction design is not a matter of taste, or of favoring one bidder over another. There is a whole field in economics concerned with determining what the best auction is for a particular situation. Thousands of scientific papers have been written on the subject and much has been learned from decades of study." He goes on to note that using an independent system and auction provider, uniform across auctions, takes away the need to negotiate the auction style between the parties and creates a more predictable playing field.<ref name="CircleID Faq">[http://www.circleid.com/posts/20130107_rationale_for_tld_applicant_auctions_to_resolve_string_contentions/ Rationale for TLD Applicant Auctions to Resolve Strings, CircleId.com]Published 8 Jan 2013, Retrieved 8 Jan 2013</ref>
Cramton's original model proposed to run auctions during the first quarter of 2013, before ICANN announced the results of their Initial Evaluation. Such a model would allow losing bidders to receive 70% back from their ICANN application fee, but would pose difficulties if winning applicants later discovered their applications were rejected as other applicants would have withdrawn already, and the new gTLD would be left without an owner. The former model also lumped all TLDs that an individual applicant had applied for in one package. Criticisms stating that such a model would benefit larger companies led to a change, so that auctions will now proceed on a TLD-by-TLD basis, with all auctions being simultaneously resolved at the same time.<ref name="domainincite"></ref> Cramton has indicated that the final auction price will be made public, along with the winning bidder.<ref>email communication from [[Peter Cramton|Dr. Cramton]] 25 March 2013</ref>
Cramton's original model proposed to run auctions during the first quarter of 2013, before ICANN announced the results of their Initial Evaluation. Such a model would allow losing bidders to receive 70% back from their ICANN application fee, but would pose difficulties if winning applicants later discovered their applications were rejected as other applicants would have withdrawn already, and the new gTLD would be left without an owner. The former model also lumped all TLDs that an individual applicant had applied for in one package. Criticisms stating that such a model would benefit larger companies led to a change, so that auctions will now proceed on a TLD-by-TLD basis, with all auctions being simultaneously resolved at the same time.<ref name="domainincite"></ref> Cramton has indicated that the final auction price will be made public, along with the winning bidder.<ref>email communication from [[Peter Cramton|Dr. Cramton]] 25 March 2013</ref>
The new proposal is to hold an initial auction in May 2013. The second auction would come after Initial Evaluations are posted with commitment made before the end of August, 2013 and auctions taking place in September.
The first Applicant Auction was held in June 2013, and resolved 6 domains, selling for a combined $9.01 million[http://www.applicantauction.com/blog/2013/6/6/first-applicant-auction-a-success-6-domains-valued-at-over-9-million First Applicant Auction a success! 6 domains valued at over $9 million]. The second auction will be held on August 13th[http://www.applicantauction.com/blog/2013/6/19/first-applicant-auction-settled-next-auction-august-13th Next Applicant Auction August 13th].
[[Peter Cramton|Dr. Cramton]] has conducted research on auction theory and practice since 1983, and has facilitated a variety of high stakes auctions, including a large variety of government auctions for resource rights and distribution rights, with [[Cramton Associates]].<ref>[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/ca/ About, Cramton.umd.edu/ca]</ref> Highlights from his high-profile and unique auction experience includes holding the world's first auction on greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2002, designing electricity and gas markets in Colombia, and leading the FAA process to auction airport runway slots for New York City airports.<ref name="Cramton Home">[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/ca/ Home, Cramton.umd.edu/ca]Retrieved 7 Jan 2013]</ref>
[[Peter Cramton|Dr. Cramton]] has conducted research on auction theory and practice since 1983, and has facilitated a variety of high stakes auctions, including a large variety of government auctions for resource rights and distribution rights, with [[Cramton Associates]].<ref>[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/ca/ About, Cramton.umd.edu/ca]</ref> Highlights from his high-profile and unique auction experience includes holding the world's first auction on greenhouse gas emissions in the UK in 2002, designing electricity and gas markets in Colombia, and leading the FAA process to auction airport runway slots for New York City airports.<ref name="Cramton Home">[http://www.cramton.umd.edu/ca/ Home, Cramton.umd.edu/ca]Retrieved 7 Jan 2013]</ref>