AU2306101A - The football game - Google Patents

Description

-frz-d COPYA

AUSTRALIA

PA TENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT THE FOOTBALL GAME The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of presenting it known to me: This invention relates to a new board game for children. It provides a scaled down .version of one of the various football codes, including individual versions for Australian Rules football, soccer, American football (gridiron), rugby union and rugby league. The board game has different versions which correspond in appearance and substance to the five different codes of football mentioned above.

o Existing board games and other games do not provide a model of the football codes for children to utilise as a form of entertainment. This invention provides a scaled down "model of football games which may then be used by children to create their own match according to their own imagination. The invention (game) therefore provides the medium (equipment) for children to perform their own football matches. The board game doesn't S" set out to reproduce an exact or precise model of a real life football game. However each version of the five codes of football contains the essential elements necessary for a child or other participant to perform a "pretend" game of football.

Each of the five versions (relating to the five codes) of the football game will provide a board with the field of the football code in question reproduced on it. Each game provides S"only one of the codes of football, so there will be different versions of the game for each football code. The board may not be exactly produced to scale, but will be typical of and immediately recognisable as being the type of football ground in question. The board will be approximately seventy (70) centimeters long and approximately thirty five centimeters wide, and may contain a flap at either end.

In one version the board will provide the characteristics of a soccer field, complete with soccer field markings (including the penalty area, penalty spot, centre line, centre circle, sideline and goal area) and soccer goals with net represented. In the Australian rules version, the board will have a typical Australian rules ground represented, with appropriate field markings (centre-circle, centre-square, boundary lines and goal-square all marked) and with goal and point posts. Likewise for American gridiron and the two rugby codes the game will reproduce those particular grounds. The American gridiron game will have goal posts and gridiron markings (including end line, sideline, end zone, and ten yard lines). Similarly the rugby league and rugby union fields will have goal posts and field markings (including the dead ball line, sideline, twenty two metre line, half way line, and try line).

The board will be made of cardboard with paper overlaid on it. It will be of a green colour (to represent grass or turf), and the scoring posts will be a white or off-white colour. The goals may be either attached to the board or be free standing (in the latter case it can be placed in the goal area).

The invention will provide miniature crowded stadiums also made of cardboard, thick paper or plastic. In one version of the invention the stadium will be attached to and fold out from the base board (field) to stand erect at the back of the game. In another version the stadium will be free standing. This stadium may also be used to house a scoreboard.

In another version of the game the scoreboard may be located elsewhere. The scoreboard will enable scores to be registered according to the particular football code in question.

0: The scoreboard may be electronic or it may be cardboard with a manual device to register scores. In one version of the game the scoreboards may have a list of actual existing clubs. In another version of the game unknown clubs or other names may be provided to distinguish the teams.

Two smaller stadiums may be supplied to be located at either end of the game. In one S"version of each game the two smaller stadiums may be attached to and fold out from the base board (field) to stand erect at opposite ends of the game in front of each goal area. In another version of the game the two smaller stadiums will be free standing. The stadiums will be approximately twenty (20) centimeters high.

The game will also provide plastic figures which represent the football players. Two .i teams of different colours will be provided. The players will be coloured in such a way S"that they will appear to be dressed in football attire. The figures will be cast in positions representative of the code of football in question. For example, in the Australian rules game some figures will be in a pose of either catching a ball, bumping, running, in the act of handballing, taking a mark with one knee raised, kicking, shepherding, or in other poses typical of Australian rules football. The game for the other codes will likewise contain plastic players in poses typical to that particular code.

The soccer game may also provide a cardboard or plastic "wall" of players typically seen when a free kick is given near goal. This "wall" of players will be freestanding. The American gridiron game may provide a cardboard or plastic formation of players seen at the beginning of each play. It may also provide a cardboard or plastic "huddle" of players. The former and latter will both be freestanding.

In one version of the game the football players may be coloured according to the outfits of actual existing famous football clubs, and in another version they will have colours not representative of any particular famous clubs. The figures will be approximately three to six centimeters in height with a plastic base so that they can stand upright on the board.

Each version of the game will provide adequate numbers of plastic players to make up at least the correct number of players for each team of the football code in question. Thus there will be at least 13 figures for each team in the rugby league game, at least 15 for rugby union, at least 11 for American gridiron, at least 11 for soccer, and at least 18 for Australian rules football.

Each game will also provide one or two plastic figures representative of field umpires or referees. They will be cast in typical referee poses such as with a whistle in mouth and pointing with one arm extended. The referees or umpires will be of a white or off-white colour, contain a plastic base and be of the same general height as the players. The game will also provide a number of plastic footballs for use in the game. The balls will be either round (for the soccer version) or oval shaped for the other codes. The balls will be approximately one centimeter long.

The game may also provide other figures and on field objects to represent other football code paraphernalia not described above. These may include plastic figures to represent coaches, trainers, mascots, bands, cheerleaders, ball boys with sand (rugby union) or any other figures typically found at any of the five codes of football described herein.

The game will also provide a timer to mark the start and finish of the matches. The timer may also containing a small siren or whistling device and be used to signal the start or S. finish of play. The game will come in a rectangular cardboard box containing the board S"and all pieces described above.

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Claims (10)

1. A football board game for children (or "participants") comprising a field (including scoring posts and/or nets), stadium(s) with crowd, scoreboard, timer, playing figures, referees and/or umpires, coaches, footballs and other figures typically found at real life football matches.

2. The football board game of claim 1 covers the football codes of Australian rules football, soccer, American football (gridiron), rugby league and rugby union, or any other terms generally used to describe these football codes.

3. The football board game of claim 1 is a model or replica (but not necessarily a precise model or copy) of real life football depicting grounds, stadiums, players, umpires, referees and footballs and contains all the essentials to reenact or perform a football match including scoreboard and timer.

4. The football board game of claim 1 allows "participants" to invent or perform their own football matches utilising the equipment provided by this invention.

The football board game of claim 1 provides a cardboard board and either cardboard, thick paper or plastic stadium(s), plastic players, referees, umpires, coaches and other figures, a timer made of plastic or wood or other suitable substance and a scoreboard which is either cardboard or electronic or other suitable substance.

6. The stadium(s) with crowd of claim 1 may be either attached to the base board or be free standing, and be made of cardboard, plastic or thick paper.

7. The scoreboards of claim 1 may have listed actual existing clubs, or they may be 8unknown clubs or other types of names to distinguish the two teams.

8. The teams of players may be presented in familiar or famous club colours, or not be presented in familiar or famous club colours.

9. The football board game of claim 1 will produce a view of the football game from one side which is similar to that regularly shown on television broadcasts of real football games.

10. A board game depicting various football codes substantially as herein described. o*