Growing the Hobby!

[artlax]

Originally Posted by Geno H

I dont know all the answers by any means. But it seems to me our target age will remain 35-55 yr old men that like football. My reasons are as follows. From 20-35 you get married,have a family & work hard at your career. After those 15 yrs ( from 20 to 35) your kids are older, your job is going well and most likely you have a little more coin in your pocket. Physically you cant do the things you used too but still love football. This is the niche that Mini Football fills. We can all wish for grander things. But in my opinion THAT is the target group we should pursue.

JUST MY OPINION.

Geno H

and insightful point Geno.

[roller]

Originally Posted by Geno H

I dont know all the answers by any means. But it seems to me our target age will remain 35-55 yr old men that like football. My reasons are as follows. From 20-35 you get married,have a family & work hard at your career. After those 15 yrs ( from 20 to 35) your kids are older, your job is going well and most likely you have a little more coin in your pocket. Physically you cant do the things you used too but still love football. This is the niche that Mini Football fills. We can all wish for grander things. But in my opinion THAT is the target group we should pursue.

JUST MY OPINION.

Geno H

I agree with Geno. This 35-55 yr old male which Geno refers to is using this game as a way to live out his sports fantasies and engage in a little competitive activity (think darts or pool), but has a real interest in modeling and miniatures and has a connection to football. It's similar in that way to RC or slot car racing - competitive sport, expensive to participate, mimics a real life sport in minature, requires hands-on activity (no video gaming) and strategy, and allows modeling and tweaking. EF is closer to these hobbies due to the tweaking nature of the game.

In D&D or Warhammer you can't tweak or gain an advantage with the equipment. If you tweaked one of the dice it would be called cheating. However, in RC cars or slot car racing, modifiying and tuning your ride is part of the program.

Perhaps we might want to buy some banner ads on some of these other websites where potential coaches may gather... Wargaming sites, RC cars, Model Railroading, Fantasy Football, etc. It could really allow us to cross pollinate.

DR

[artlax]

Originally Posted by roller

I agree with Geno. This 35-55 yr old male which Geno refers to is using this game as a way to live out his sports fantasies and engage in a little competitive activity (think darts or pool), but has a real interest in modeling and miniatures and has a connection to football. It's similar in that way to RC or slot car racing - competitive sport, expensive to participate, mimics a real life sport in minature, requires hands-on activity (no video gaming) and strategy, and allows modeling and tweaking. EF is closer to these hobbies due to the tweaking nature of the game.

In D&D or Warhammer you can't tweak or gain an advantage with the equipment. If you tweaked one of the dice it would be called cheating. However, in RC cars or slot car racing, modifiying and tuning your ride is part of the program.

Perhaps we might want to buy some banner ads on some of these other websites where potential coaches may gather... Wargaming sites, RC cars, Model Railroading, Fantasy Football, etc. It could really allow us to cross pollenate.

DR

great observations and very good suggestions.

[WEIRDWOLF]

Great conversation. I like the banner ads idea. I have a friend that might be able to help us get into this affordably. Along with that, we need a starter package product.

I think that eventually, we need a forward thinking toy company (maybe a new company formed by member investors) that finds a way to get a starter packaged product that works out of the box available to the masses. This would be followed by individual packaged customs detailed figures sold individually to enhance their starter teams. The field needs to be completely rethought to be made into a requires assembly unit that would take less shelf space in a toy store, probably battery powered or you will be faced with massive fees to get the UL symbol on it. (Remember starter set-big fields powered by DC come later) This would be the best advertisement as well as having a truly national event under 1 rule set and weight. There is nothing wrong with individual leagues running under their own set as we do with the MFCAL and this could be used as the seeding for the national event. All leagues would know that whatever rule set they used would only be there to get them to the nationals where a one rule set for all would rule. Over time, many leagues would adjust their rules to fit more closely to the national set if that was important to them to be competitive.

[Geno H]

I have always suspected the 35-55 age group being the prime target. I had my thoughts confirmed this weekend as on saturday we had a booth in the Warrior Fest days in Sterling Kansas. Warrior Fest is a College sponsored event for the public to meet and greet the Football squad for the new season.
The public takes part by having booths of all natures up and down main street. 4 league members of the Tornado Alley west division attended and we displayed the MFCA banner, 2 x 4 Custom Chiefs field, Custom Figures with all the bells and whistles and bags of stock poses as well. A VERY NICE BOOTH!
We had continuous action going on the field at all times. I guessed and kept track of the age of the most interested prospects and yes you guessed it 35-55 showed a real interest. I did have a couple of the Warrior football players get into it alot who were 18-20 BUT.....they themselves said it would be hard to find the time.

Geno H

[Megawattz]

I like cross pollenating, I didnt know u could do that in this hobby! seriously though, its easy to put it out there, to make something happen is our challenge, a good start would be a team of guys to explore this very ? in a real time manner outside of the MFCA there hands are full. I volunteer my efforts as new venues would only further my reach, so u see my personal goals & the goals of the hobby in general run hand n hand, Im in.

[Geno H]

Originally Posted by Megawattz

I like cross pollenating, I didnt know u could do that in this hobby!

Geno H

[detroitchild]

Originally Posted by roller

I agree with Geno. This 35-55 yr old male which Geno refers to is using this game as a way to live out his sports fantasies and engage in a little competitive activity (think darts or pool), but has a real interest in modeling and miniatures and has a connection to football. It's similar in that way to RC or slot car racing - competitive sport, expensive to participate, mimics a real life sport in minature, requires hands-on activity (no video gaming) and strategy, and allows modeling and tweaking. EF is closer to these hobbies due to the tweaking nature of the game.

I think this part of the conversation is a great start. We probably need more discussion in this area. In order to move forward in an organized manner I think we need to concentrated on our target market (If most of us agree that the age range and type are what we are seeking). Although we need to address it I think discussing stuff like rule sets is getting a little ahead of ourselves.

Let's flesh out who we want to go after a little bit more. Once we've done that then let's attack how we want to go after them.

[Geno H]

Originally Posted by detroitchild

I think this part of the conversation is a great start. We probably need more discussion in this area. In order to move forward in an organized manner I think we need to concentrated on our target market (If most of us agree that the age range and type are what we are seeking). Although we need to address it I think discussing stuff like rule sets is getting a little ahead of ourselves.

Let's flesh out who we want to go after a little bit more. Once we've done that then let's attack how we want to go after them.

Yes the ruleset is an issue AFTER a coach has made a decision to become part of the hobby. It is an issue but it isnt first.

Great points Don.

[Megawattz]

Getting a fresh start means just that, we need to start with ourselves, we talk about a target market like we dont know who. We know, its us our friends our generation we're the golden age per say, before Atari, after that it was over & I mean OVER! Thats when it became a novelty. On that note I liken it to getting KO'd only to wake up with your opponent plus his home boys standing over u. So if think the video game industry isnt in direct competition guess what, its bigger & better while were hear hoping to get noticed. The only way to change that is to change the "Elec trick Football" rep. the hobby has, thats why its so important for a sanctioned set of rules 1st also technology has to be a HUGE part or the puzzle, to add credibility as a legitimate sport/hobby or hobby/sport which ever u prefer, old school is played out. even battleship went electronic