They Just Don't Know

[NATIONAL]

Maybe this is a dream of mine, or maybe this could happen. Most hobby stores don’t know because the people working there could be our kids. You would have to be in your 30’s and up to remember the heydays of electric football.
Most people don’t know we are here because there is no advertisement. At its peak you would walk into Toy R us and see stacks of electric football games. You brought your game home and started playing.
Now we are so advanced, but we may need to get back to the basics to get this thing going. Don’t think we would need the nfl license to make this work. But we have to package a functional game. I remember buying football cards, there was never a logo on the helmets (no license) so we could do that.

We could call it anything…for starters let’s say MFCA presents the Miniature Football Game.
Wolf would do the graphics for the box. There would be mfca promo cards, maybe a special tweak issue & dvd on how to get advanced play and rule sets inside.
The board would be slightly larger than 620. Generic field
Figs could be painted in unis but no helmet decals. Names and number decal sheet included
Geno QB & Kickers
And the most important thing…bases that will run out of the box. Maybe have them pre-tweaked or just make a new base?

Where would the money come from?
We could offer stock shares to our members. Who would be willing to put their money where their mouth is?
Who figs would we use? Anyone who put up shares to get the ball rolling.

Buy some commercial time. Start up with Target, or Modells, or Toys-R-us, anybody that’s willing to stock the game on their shelves.

It sounds far fetched, but look at the lady who started ebay, or the dude who started facebook?
Maybe it is, but it’s what I keep wishing for. Going into the toy stores, and not seeing any EF/MF games on the shelves just has me thinking………..what if!?

Simply getting back to the basics just might jump start everything.

the F.O.T.H. is Nat'l

[the french guy]

I believe the best sources for new players are the wargamers.


I think about the best painters here : There is a website where you can show your work, it's called "coolminiornot"'.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/234030


I posted my first figure (49ers center) on it, to promote the hobby (not my skills, because I know I'm just a "tabletop level" painter).

I'm happy I didn't be "flamed" by the visitors, since the level is very high on this website.


I can't believe that most of wargamers just don't know this game ! In USA since electric football is a classic child toy for a lot of people between 30 and 60 years old, most of US wargamers should know at least the concept. Whit all the skilled painters and modellers in the wargame world (not speaking of casters and other minis companies), it could bring a great new blood to MF.

In france, I suscribed to the biggest wargame forum too. I made articles to show everyone this game. Actually, one person bought a game and figures, and I believe, suscribed here too. Not so bad for France where US football is almost unknown.


I also tried to promote on NFL or real football french dedicated forums, I just found a polite success for now. People interested in football here seems to not be interested in modelling. I don't know how it is in USA, but usually here in France modellers, wargamers and other hobby people are not the same than the people interested in real sports.

[Coach Rip]

...........it could be that they just don't care.

We, in this hobby are very unique. Most of us played this as kids, as it was our "madden" of the day. If you were a boy in the 60's, 70's or 80's, chances are you got this game for Christmas or birthday present. The sad truth is many more of us guys got this game back then, and for many reasons, played with it once or twice, and slide it under the bed forever. ( sad, I know, but true)

I have been involved in this hobby for over 10 years, I have been involved with many different ways of promoting the game too.

Raiderman and I have been on TV quite a few times. We have been set up in malls, and many other venues for demonstrations, .............I have been featured in newspaper articles all over the country. And so have others.

I don't know the exact common denominator that we have as a group, I do know the hobby has indeed been exposed to millions, .................yes, I said millions of people, and the disappointing realization is many folks have seen the game and CHOOSE to keep going on their merry way. So, .....................I guess you could say we as a group are "Special"

[the french guy]

What you say is exactly what I saw showing the game and MF modelling here on french sports forums : everybody says "wow" and....nothing happens.

Same thing when I demo slot racing around me : people like it, then realize the involvement needed to play (time -lot of time- and money) and then...return to their tv and video games. The easy way is the way for a lot of people.


Because most of people prefers watching tv or play video games. Most of people prefers to see a game on tv than go outside and play for real.


It's why I believe more in creating interest in allready prepared communities : wargaming of course (because MF is a sort of wargame, in a way, and a lot of things are similar : figures scale, and even rulers/sticks for passing sim), but also in miniature painting world, railroad modelling (another "old" child game wich became a sort of Art), slot racers, etc, etc... People wich already spent their money and spare time on little things, combining creativity (miniature modelling, painting, etc...) and fellowship (slot racing and wargaming clubs and associations).


Showing MF on hobby forums (slot racing, wargaming, etc...) I found interested people and interesting chat, more technic, about rules, system, etc...and even found my first (not including my brother) french MF fellow (he's waiting for the delivery of his first game and figs). For me, it's the way we should follow.

See the message on cool mini or not : a guy saying he knows the game as a child. Now, this guy knows this game still exists as a complete hobby, and can perhaps switch to it since he's already interested in figures and miniatures (since he suscribed on cool mini or not website).

Of course I don't think we'll be millions of players one day. But see table soccer, table hockey, wargaming...big "little" communities.

[eflfanatic]

Corey,

"Now we are so advanced, but we may need to get back to the basics to get this thing going. Don’t think we would need the nfl license to make this work. But we have to package a functional game. I remember buying football cards, there was never a logo on the helmets (no license) so we could do that.

We could call it anything…for starters let’s say MFCA presents the Miniature Football Game.
Wolf would do the graphics for the box. There would be mfca promo cards, maybe a special tweak issue & dvd on how to get advanced play and rule sets inside.
The board would be slightly larger than 620. Generic field
Figs could be painted in unis but no helmet decals. Names and number decal sheet included
Geno QB & Kickers
And the most important thing…bases that will run out of the box. Maybe have them pre-tweaked or just make a new base?

Where would the money come from?
We could offer stock shares to our members. Who would be willing to put their money where their mouth is?
Who figs would we use? Anyone who put up shares to get the ball rolling.

Buy some commercial time. Start up with Target, or Modells, or Toys-R-us, anybody that’s willing to stock the game on their shelves.

It sounds far fetched, but look at the lady who started ebay, or the dude who started facebook?
Maybe it is, but it’s what I keep wishing for. Going into the toy stores, and not seeing any EF/MF games on the shelves just has me thinking………..what if!?

Simply getting back to the basics just might jump start everything.

The best idea I have heard yet on keeping this hobby alive. Another reson there needs to be standrds set.

[NATIONAL]

It's the amount of time it takes to get started.

If there were a set you could purchase and go, it would help. Whether we realize it or not, you may have to get in contact with over a dozen coaches to get started in this sport/hobby.

If you could go into the store, buy the set (Miniature Football game) with all the stuff in there, then you could play. But to sit there and have the bases just spin, or not run at all is frustrating.

Put the game back in the stores as a set...a working set. All the extra info can be added in.

Rip you've been to the Perzel center, you see all the walk in traffic we get. Everyone is so jacked looking at the pieces, then we hit the switch and the guys start moving.....those kids go nuts

Miggle really doesn't have a set, Excalibur is not interested, so maybe we can pick up the slack?????????????

Nat'l

[Coach Rip]

Originally Posted by NATIONAL

It's the amount of time it takes to get started.



Rip you've been to the Perzel center, you see all the walk in traffic we get. Everyone is so jacked looking at the pieces, then we hit the switch and the guys start moving.....those kids go nuts

Miggle really doesn't have a set, Excalibur is not interested, so maybe we can pick up the slack?????????????

Nat'l

CorEy, ...... It's that way all the time, at any league holding a demonstration. People say "Wow, That's cool", ............then walk away................we must face the fact that we are "special"!

[the french guy]

Miggle really doesn't have a set

A new friend of mine who has seen my figures and MF introduction articles on french forums actually started with a new Miggle Rose bowl game.

Even if I advised him to start with an used tudor 620 (since it 's the "standard") on eb*y, he choosed the miggle "middle range" entry game.

After all I was thinking the rose bowl wasn't a bad choice either : complete painted teams and bases, pretty field and decent gameboard (since it's used in Miggle tournaments), and not too expensive.

Could we consider that as a good starter choice ? I think so, but I'm a beginner too.

[Shabby J]

Everyone knows the key to this game's success is having bases that run like well tweaked gems right out of the pack.

The fact that this has never been able to be accomplished over the decades is what has turned most of the average consumers away, resulting in games being banished to the attic, garage, under the bed, back of the closet, etc.... It has always been this hobby's Achilles' heel. Look on Ebay, see all the vintage game sets, this is where they come from

There is no real cost effective way to mass produce this game with hand tweaked bases. Until this can be addressed it will always remain a niche hobby for those who have a love for the game like us.

I would love to see it in stores again like when I was a kid, only it would have well running bases, how do we get there?

I think a new base design needs to be looked at, an outside the box design, unlike what we currently have that can be mass manufactured and perform flawlessly right out of the factory. This base may end up not being the ultimate base for us at the professional level, but it would be a base to sell sets, allow great games and then hopefully turn the new consumer in our direction when they want to go to the next level.

[NATIONAL]

The Rose Bowl is about all we have.....

But we could do better.

Advertisement. You would be surprised what a commercial would do.

If our game was in the stores as a set ready to go, with the dvd & tweak all inside, I think it would do wonders....throw in a cool commercial, who knows.

If you're set up somewhere, and 15 guys come thru to look but only 1 joins your group, then it was a success.

Keep hope alive!!!!!!!!!

Nat'l