Air Time for MF as a Hobby

[Shabby J]

Anthony it was a question to you. Did you see the question mark?

I was and I am, man enough to say what's on my mind, believe me, please don't go there, that is an unecessary comment. I was not implying or assuming anything, nor did I ever accuse you of posting about your system.

I was asking a question hoping to get your point of view as well as others.

My 308 is not too small to hold 11 vs 11, my figures don't run around aimlessly, I know how to control them and I think 20 seconds or less to pass is pretty darn quick. I want them to believe it is a football game, because that is exactly what it is, a game, a hobby, not an exact NFL simulation. I want them to see how it is played today with the Shootout rules, with the big boards, with custom figures, with tweaked bases, with decaled and painted teams that will make your jaw drop, I want them to see lateral moving linemen, QBs that roll out and avoid a sack, cover corners shutting down their opponents, I want them to see passing into double coverage, I want them to see all of this and then think back to that game they played as a kid and how far it has come.

I am not sure how you are playing MF but what you described to me is not what I see in Los Angeles and Texas. I complimented you and said your MPFL System would be a hit for those who are looking for more of an exact NFL simulation.

The Shootout style is faster than your style of play, that is a fact. I am thinking we need to keep the energy level up and show dudes how exciting this game can be, that was my thought on a TV format. I am sorry, but if you turn the board on and off more than twice in a play, to me that is multi-stop. I can call it MPFL, I can call it assorted stops, collective stops, diverse stops, many stops, multitudinal stops, numerous stops, several stops, etc... It is what it is. I see this show requiring a fast play format.

I am truly sorry if I offended you, it was not my intention and I clearly stated that in my post. I have and I still do give you props for developing the MPFL style, system, etc...

Let's keep on keeping on and unite to take this to the next level for all our benefits.

I got no problem with you or your MPFL deal.

[Anthony D Burgess]

We are cool, and to answer you're question, No I'm not saying that my system is the way to go .

Now, What is being done to change the public view of this hobby ?

See I'm taking about what I am hearing in people say, and you're talking about this style and that style. Can we get on the same page ?

It's not about what we like or think, but how this hobby is viewed by those that are not in it.

Have we become so selfish and closed minded that we can't see past what we like ? This question is for all.

We are doing the hobby a dissrevice by pleasing the few and forgetting the many.

How about finding out what the public wants to see ? Why not bring them in and see there point of view instead of forcing our view on them.

Now how about answering my questions, there are many ! Talking about what style you like and this and that is not answering the question.

Put you're self in the place of a person who thinks ( the public ) that this is a stupid, dumb game that plays nothing like football.

How do we change there view ? How do we prove to them that this is more than what they think ?

[Silverhorse 228]

I like the TV series idea and maybe one of us should approach ESPN with the idea...the worst that can happen is they say no thanks. After the NFL Films segment maybe they might be interested...but I have two questions for everyone...

1. If ESPN did a TV series on us, such as the Madden series, could any of you take a week, two weeks, a month off of life to be on such a series? As contrary as one might think, these type of shows demand something in writing for a committment of time. I have only two weeks to offer and it would be during my two weeks vacation in July.

2. What about NFL copyrights? Could we display all of our hand painted players without issues?

I am all for forming a committee to do nothing but promote the hobby, maybe this would be the way to go....

[Electric Coach]

Changing the public’s opinion about the hobby has been my concern for a long time now.
People remember the figures running everywhere except where they should be running. They remember the figures spinning in circles. They remember the figures getting stuck among one another in a stale mate. Basically, the public has memories of the game being unfulfilling.

My approach to that effort starts by diffusing what the public remembers about the game when it was in its infancy. I use my videos as a tool to demonstrate that the game can be played in the way that it was intended. The viewer sees the running back moving up the field. They see defensive players moving in to make a tackle. They have also seen completed passes and an interception.

The use of videos and the Internet brings the hobby to the viewer. The viewer gets a comprehensive look at the hobby when it is seen in this way. I don’t believe that the non-hobbyists will actually come out to see electric football with the existing opinion that they have about it. Some non-hobbyists don’t have an opinion at all because they may not know that the hobby ever existed.

After I show my videos to non-hobbyists, they begin to ask questions about how I managed to get the players to move correctly. I tell them about base tweaking, for that is the foundation of this hobby. From there, I move into other aspects about the hobby.

In regards to showing electric football on television, I believe that it should be a comprehensive look at the hobby, which should focus on player movement. If player movement is not the focus of the presentation, it might not go over well with the non-hobbyists public. I believe that it is paramount that the players be shown moving across the board the way that it was intended when the game was first invented. After that has been established, then we can move into other forms of player movement.

Once that foundation is established, then we will be able to move from a 30-minute presentation to a one-hour presentation. I might be reaching a bit, but we may be able to go as far as having two or more coaches playing a short game of varying styles with spectators; all on national television. I can go further with this vision, but I will stop here.

In regards to commitment to a television network, we would have to find out what they want from us in regards to time and availability. We would cross that bridge when we get to it.

Maurice

The Electric Coach

[WEIRDWOLF]

Originally Posted by Silverhorse 228

2. What about NFL copyrights? Could we display all of our hand painted players without issues?

This is in fact part of the overall issue with presenting this idea to a ESPN or other broadcaster. There is currently no company with a NFL liscense that is interested in taking this to another level. Excalibur owns the only NFL liscense for electric football type items and they simply are not going to invest that much time and energy into it.

Miggle has some college liscenses but they have never attempted this course as far as I know. A good marketing company for Miggle would of pursued this. It is seemingly a hobby business for them at this point and they seem content to be at the level they are at.

This leaves fantasy teams as the only option to present and that simply does not have the allure that the NFL has.

Anthony has a very valid question in how are we percieved and what are we doing about it? I don't have the answers to this. I do know that we are doing some things that impress the newcomer. Realism in figures and stadiums and fields is one step. Competitions with universal rules is another. Norbert is researching the Tabletop Hockey guys to see how they got there association up to its international level. Part of that, had to do with player rankings and standardized cometitions as well as sponsors and prizes but even they have seperate divisions such as Coleco Rules competitions, Stiga Competitions. This compares to say a Buzzball event or a Miggle event or Shootout style event. It is Ok to have seperate styles but each of those styles needs a coroporate or financial sponsor willing to invest. We need to find someone who can blanket us with there NFL liscense and is willing to watch this develop. I am personally working on getting in with companies likes Dick's sporting Goods and The Sports Authority to play a game there once a month or more. Two guys playing and 1 or two explaining the action along with some displays of the custom stuff. The problem then arises with the question of "where do I get this" and that answer is very diverse and in some ways overwhelming. The only complete set all in one box that a beginner can pick up to start out with is Miggle and you can only get it online. That is a problem!

We desperately need a NFL blanket liscense, a sponsor and more commitment from the coaches in existence to get out and display and play the game in front of other audiences. To get on TV we need an organized set of rules with player rankings, high end prizes and true to form competition. Again, we could have 3 seperate or more recognized family of rules each with there own national champions and sponsors but if we could ever get us on one page just for one time a year where we could make a huge showing would be a key in my mind.

I think that if the Shootout Rules leagues would have one convergence each year with a national shooutout rules champion you would have one set to go from. Then all leagues who play a Rules 2000 family of rules could have one national championship day. Most of the rules out there are from a family tree with Tudor as the root expanding to Rules 2000 and then branching out in many directions. Most leagues play very similar stes of rules but have distinct family characteristics with other leagues and only simple adjustments are needed to play between these different families. Much like the AFL and the NFL had distinct rules differences but they were still able to combine to play a national championship because they were in the same family.

Shootout Rules could be one family
MPFL another
Miggle another
Buzzball and other Rules 2000 based leagues another

Maybe I have started rambling but stuff just started pouring out and maybe it will inspire further discussion.

[Shabby J]

I love the idea of getting into a local sporting goods store for a game or once in a while. When I played Subbuteo table soccer, we used to try to set up at local soccer specialty shops and play in hopes to try and recruit some interest and expose the game to others who may not be familiar with it. We would print flyers and hand them out with links to various websites and such.

I also thought about each region in the MFCA having a banner and when there are major tournamenets or even just friendly runs we can hang an MFCA banner up, as a lot of MF is played in public places, bowling alleys, restaurants, bars, malls, community centers, etc...

A nice banner with the MFCA logo and website address on it along with a nice pamphlet to hand out will show people that we do have some structure and we are a national group and would go a long way to drumming up renewed interest.

Would the MFCA have the funds or could we raise the funds to do a banner for each region? They could easily be boxed and shipped from event to event within the region and we could share them as needed. We have graphic artists amongst us and maybe some sign shop/banner people who may be able to help us get this done rather inexpensively.

What do you think about a universal pamphlet to hand out at events across the country and MFCA banners that we could pass around within our region to display at public events?

I realize that an ESPN show on MF is a long shot, but the MFCA banner and pamphlet would go a long way in helping the local recruiting drive.

[Silverhorse 228]

It is funny you should mention banners. We have already been looking into such an idea and possibly having each region come up with their own logo for their banner....maybe we should put you on the banner committee!

[Shabby J]

We need a universal pamphlet too, one that is done my the MFCA. We need something for the general public to take home when they see us playing at our different venues. This is very important, so when that dude who sees us at the local mall playing and remembers how fun it looked he can reference the pamphlet and there it should have our MFCA site, but links to all the other related sites and leagues across the country as well a some general info about the state of our hobby today and our values, etc...

We need to handout something.

[5-13 Studios]

i also believe that a weekly or monthly podcast might interest some people as well. there are so many different products coming out, and so many different topics and items from the past it could end up being a show that could go on for a while. i say this because i know people at work who listen to podcasts based on miniature wargaming, starwars collecting, bigfoot and 10 foot tall indian sightings (that's no joke, i have heard the podcast on the 10 foot tall indian.).
NODave had set up something to do a podcast, but i'm not sure if it ever got off of the ground. the website was never updated. i know absolutely nothing about setting up such a thing, but maybe i should look into this and see if it is a reasonably easy thing to pursue.

[Anthony D Burgess]

All of the ideas sounds nice, but I see that the point is being over looked.

How will, podcast's, pamphlet's, Banners etc change the public's view ?

Changing the wheels, tires, repainting the body of the vehicle doesn't change how the vehilcle runs. A 50 hours power vehicle will only perform like a 50 hourse power, until you get inside the engine, and or rebuild the engine.

To the public this hobby is a 50 plus old 196? vehicle.

Yeah, we have made many cosmetic changes and that is good, however the engine remains the same.

We should focus our efforts on the engine first, without that this hobby will not move forward but only spin it's wheels in the sands of time.