Springsteen Loses Battle Over Web

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) â€” Bruce Springsteen may be ``The Boss'' to rock 'n' roll fans, but not to a panel that mediates disputes over Internet addresses. <br><br>A three-member panel in Geneva,

Friday, February 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) â€” Bruce Springsteen may be ``The Boss'' to rock 'n' roll fans, but not to a panel that mediates disputes over Internet addresses.

A three-member panel in Geneva, Switzerland, refused to grant the New Jersey rocker's request that a Canadian man and his fan club relinquish their Web address, www.brucespringsteen.com.

The loss before the World Intellectual Property Association was a rare one for a celebrity. Actresses Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman, singer Madonna and others have taken such disputes to the panel and won.

The tribunal ruled that Jeff Burgar had demonstrated he had some rights or legitimate interest in the Web address name. They also said Springsteen failed to show the name was registered and used in bad faith, noting Springsteen had no evidence that Burgar ever tried to sell the name.