Skip to Content
 

Pocket Sports - GridIron team cards

12 replies [Last post]
Mon, 03/09/2015 - 23:04
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
Team-Cards.jpg

I'm getting closer to finishing our Gridiron game. Here are the team cards I plan to include with each game.

I now need to include a tuck box....things just seem to be getting bigger!

Thanks to Soulfinger for the white space idea on the bottom for people to write in their own name as a Team Coach. As well as giving ownership to the cards, it invests players into the teams and the game. These are now an extra fun addition and can be used with the 'Audible' call play option.

I've added some player heads and names for theme. I'll avoid the Kickstarter option I had been thinking of for a higher pledge for personalized headshots. Creating heroes for each team adds theme and can create legends!

I'm still after more play testers so let me know if you're keen.

Top
Tue, 03/10/2015 - 22:39
#1
Soulfinger
Soulfinger's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2015
Thanks. Glad you liked the

Thanks. Glad you liked the idea. The cards look great.

I am anxious that you may encounter potential legal issues by using the names of real teams, even if the iconography is different. The most prevalent issue, in my mind, is one of consumer confusion. In terms of initial interest, the game may be recommended by another player in an unintentionally misleading fashion (i.e. You've got to try this game! I'm coaching the Bears against the Saints). Point of sale poses a similar problem, as someone could get a casual enough look to think that the actual teams are represented in the game. These are strong trademarks with lots of legal clout, so it isn't worth the risk of receiving a C&D after the game is printed and the production money spent. Of course, you could use the Redskins, now that they've been stripped of their trademark protection, but why would you want to?

Also, have you ever heard of Blood Bowl? There is a demand for fantasy-themed sports games.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 00:00
#2
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
I had missed the BEARS being

I had missed the BEARS being an actual team mascot. Might change that one. The others are quite within the realms of non NFL trademarked teams. Saints, Mammoths, Flames, Hawks.

These are all not yet set in stone and can be tweaked.

As long as I'm not misleading anyone into thinking it's an officially endorsed NFL product, and my own trademarked company logo/name is clear to see, that's all I can do.

Generalized terms such as Slant / Deep cross will be familiar to fans of Gridiron, but are not trademarked. I saw an article pop up somewhere about the term 'Tebowed' has been trademarked though!

I have an official license with Cricket Australia, the governing body for the national cricket team. I use their logo on their products but I also have the contractual right to produce a generic form under my own trademarked name/logo and sell here and overseas. People know the difference...at least this side of the world :)

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 01:02
#3
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
Kodiaks......a good

Kodiaks......a good replacement for Bears?

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 17:10
#4
grumpywookiee
Offline
Joined: 05/21/2014
Kodiaks is good. There is an

Kodiaks is good.

There is an NFL team called the New Orleans Saints. And, the Seattle Seahawks is close to Hawks but that is probably fine.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 18:03
#5
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
Ah.....Saints to Templars?

Ah.....Hawks to Falcons? Saints to Templars? Patrons?

BTW - I'm looking for playtesters - let me know if you are keen to run through a few plays. I have rules and a D6 flowchart with examples to accompany.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:05
#6
Soulfinger
Soulfinger's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2015
HPS74 wrote:I had missed the

HPS74 wrote:
I had missed the BEARS being an actual team mascot. Might change that one. The others are quite within the realms of non NFL trademarked teams. Saints, Mammoths, Flames, Hawks.

As long as I'm not misleading anyone into thinking it's an officially endorsed NFL product, and my own trademarked company logo/name is clear to see, that's all I can do . . . People know the difference...at least this side of the world :)

I would suggest Google-ing the rest of your team names to make sure. It is hard to see with the size of the cards posted here, but it looks like even the team colors match up closely for the Bears and Saints. The symbol for the Hawks is quite similar to that of the NBA team of the same name. For all I know, the trademarks for the XFL's teams may still be valid as well, although I doubt any would apply.

The United States is fairly litigious, particularly with businesses suing other businesses, which accounts for 2/3rd of the 15 million lawsuits filed each year and 300 billion in litigation costs. Many of these are settled out of court. On top of that, the NFL is well funded and influential with local governments bend over backwards incentivizing teams with tax payer money. Avoiding any potential for legal entanglements should be a priority.

I mean "consumer confusion" purely in a legal sense. No reasonable person will make the mistakes that I mentioned in my previous post, but conjecturing that such a thing is possible is justification enough for a suit. You want to do everything in your power not to give anyone an opening. For example, someone with the NFL could see your game and think, "Gee, we should make a game like this." You left them a legal opening with a couple of your team likenesses, so they use it as an excuse to eliminate potential competition for a game that they may, but probably will not, develop ten years from now. I know it sounds implausibly Machiavellian, and I thought the same thing until something similar happened to me.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:15
#7
grumpywookiee
Offline
Joined: 05/21/2014
There are also the Falcons,

There are also the Falcons, Ravens, and Eagles in the NFL, so maybe something like Stags instead.

I like Templars to replace Saints.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:13
#8
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
All good advice. Easy change

All good advice. Easy change of colours and perhaps logos for peace of mind. Final artwork is the last thing on the list but best to have everything sorted before things go wrong.

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 19:26
#9
questccg
questccg's picture
Offline
Joined: 04/16/2011
Why bust your @ss...

Somebody already took the time to figure out "fictional" names of various team sports:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_sports_teams#American_foo...

Check that out and see which ones you want to use! You don't even need to use the State or City...

Top
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 21:55
#10
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
Nice one questccg! I'll do

Nice one questccg! I'll do some research and see what type of logo I can mock up! Thanks for that!

HERE'S THE BGG ENTRY WITH PnP FILES

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174748/pocket-sports-gridiron

Top
Thu, 03/12/2015 - 16:45
#11
Soulfinger
Soulfinger's picture
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2015
I had a thought. I'm not a

I had a thought. I'm not a sports person, but one thing I like to make fun of is how important a team is to a regional identity. How about in addition to having a team card, you also have one for each state, which can be paired with a team and provides a specific stadium bonus. For example: Iowa + Juggernauts and then they get whatever home game advantage playing at Harvest Stadium. Adds another element of customization.

Top
Thu, 03/12/2015 - 18:05
#12
HPS74
Offline
Joined: 01/06/2009
Yesterday I ordered some

Yesterday I ordered some prototype cards and boxes (tuck box image Mar 11). As I was filling up 54 cards, I was trying to think of other 'wild' cards to add more flavour.

A Mascot card came to mind. Cards (The Harvest Cup?) to play and win from your opponent like winning a marble. Also a dynasty card to physically mark with a pen win/loss history under you team/coach. Your suggestion of a home stadium could sit in a corner of such a card with the nominated home game advantage!

How home or away games are determined could be set on the dynasty card or be player choice?

I'll post pics of the prototype cards when they arrive in a couple of week with the new tuck boxes (I've got Cycling cards too). A jpeg just doesn't do them justice :)

It's now venturing into a card & dice game which may appeal to a broader audience?

Top
Syndicate content


forum | by Dr. Radut