With millions of businesses scrambling online, there is no room. Domain owners realize their value. A three letter dot com is great for a company. It makes them look good. Domain owners like Ricks will hold on.
Time is on their side.
Afterall, there aren't anymore dot com names being made. Just as real estate doesn't grow. Ricks is happy paying a small fee for upkeep. As more businesses go online, prices inflate more. Three letter dot net names are valuable.