-So like we really need this?!?!?!?! What’s the damn point exactly? All about ‘Me’? Isn’t everything about ‘ME’ these days?

GoDaddy.com Joint Venture Wins Registry Bid to Market & Operate New Domain Extension

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Get ready for .ME to make waves on the Web. GoDaddy.com today announced Internet users around the world can register the catchy new domain extension for personal or business use later this year.

GoDaddy.com, the world’s largest domain registrar, is one of three members of a power-packed joint venture chosen by the government of Montenegro to operate the new domain extension.

In support of the new registry, GoDaddy.com, Afilias Global Registry Services and Me-Net have created a new organization called doMEn (the word for “domain” in Montenegrin) which will act as the operational body with strategic oversight for the domain extension.

Go Daddy will use its renowned marketing muscle to globally promote .ME, while Afilias will provide world-class registry technology, similar to what it uses to support other domains such as .INFO and .ORG.

“We’re excited about the phenomenal potential of .ME and our ability to market it to you, all Web users, as well as other registrars – and of course we’ll promote it in true GoDaddy-esque style,” said Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons. “Couple .ME with our first-in-class customer support and the registry systems of Afilias and the possibilities are unlimited.”

The new registry alliance plans to invite all registrars, country code (CC) and top level domain (TLD) resellers to add .ME to their own list of offerings. However, the new .ME can be used by anyone – an affiliation with the country of Montenegro is not required.

Imagine the possibilities. After all, .ME translates to a wide range of catchy words throughout the world - including the obvious English translations, such as “about me.” Others include “amar.me,” which means “love me” in Spanish, and “secondo.me,” which is Italian for “in my opinion.”

With such a wide array of translations and potential uses, the joint venture expects .ME to be hugely popular with users all over the globe.

“To take full advantage of .ME, it needs to be properly promoted and properly managed. We have an unparalleled track record in promoting domain names and keeping customers happy,” Parsons declared. “Afilias has an impeccable record when it comes to managing domain extensions. We offer the complete package to catapult .ME into the International mainstream.”

About The Go Daddy Group, Inc.

Go Daddy is a leading provider of services that enable individuals and businesses to establish, maintain and evolve an online presence. Go Daddy provides a variety of domain name registration and Web site hosting services, as well as a broad array of on-demand and other services. The Go Daddy Group, Inc., which includes GoDaddy.com, has more than 26 million domain names under management. Go Daddy registers, renews or transfers a domain name every second. GoDaddy.com is the world’s No. 1 domain name registrar according to Name Intelligence, Inc. GoDaddy.com is also rated the world’s largest hostname provider according to Netcraft Ltd. During 2007, The Go Daddy Group registered approximately one-third of all domain names registered in the top six generic top-level domains, or gTLDs, including .com, .net, .org, .info, .biz, and .mobi.