SPORTS PARTY GAME

Abstract

Several different football-related games and activities are combined into a kit, resulting in a unique combination for use while watching a football game on television such as the Super Bowl. A sports activity kit comprises bingo-like game; a statistics game; various interactive segments, and a trivia segment. Upon completion of the elected segments, all participants tally their accumulated points, and the participant who accumulates the most points wins the game overall. At least the winner of the game preferably receives a trophy. In the preferred embodiment, adult and child versions of the game are provided. The adult version includes a bingo-like game, a statistics game and a trivia segment. The child version includes two different interactive segments—a ball throw and a ball-kick component—and a statistics game.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/103,405, filed Oct. 7, 2008, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to party games and, in particular, to a multi-faceted game and activity kit intended for use while watching a game such as football.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many sports fanatics in the U.S. and, indeed, around the world. It is very common for groups of people to get together to enjoy championship games such as the Super Bowl on a big screen TV. These events have evolved into much more than just “watching the game.” They have become sensational events in some cases. One such game of many involves making a grid such as a 10×10 grid on a piece of paper or poster board. The name of one team is written across the top, the name of the other team is written along one side. Each participant makes a bet and writes their name on the grid. After all of the squares are filled numbers are drawn out of a hat, using 0 through 9, for example. These numbers are used to label the rows and columns on the paper. The numbers represent the last number in the score at different intervals, with payouts at the end of the first quarter ($50, for example), at halftime ($150), at the end of the third quarter ($50) and at the end of the game ($250). For instance, if the score was Giants 14, Patriots 9, then the person whose square is located at the intersection of “Giants 4” and “Patriots 9” wins the money.

There are many other games, including trivia games and games involving “props” such as foam balls, hoops, and so forth. But the need remains for a single game that combines many different modes of play for enhanced enjoyment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention combines several different football-related games and activities into a single product, the result being a unique combination for use while watching a football game on television such as the Super Bowl.

A sports activity kit according to the invention comprises bingo-like game; a statistics game; various interactive segments, and a trivia segment. Upon completion of the elected segments, all participants tally their accumulated points, and the participant who accumulates the most points wins the game overall. At least the winner of the game preferably receives a trophy.

In the bingo-like game, participants guess at the score for a period of the game and points are awarded if they are correct. During the statistics segment, each participant answers questions on a sports-related game statistics sheet, and the winner is the participant that accumulates the most points. During the interactive segment, participants throw or kick a ball at a target, and during the trivia segment, participants chose cards with trivia questions and mark their answers on an answer pad.

In the preferred embodiment, adult and child versions of the game are offered. The adult version includes the bingo-like game, the statistics game and the trivia segment. The child version includes two different interactive segments and the statistics game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a bingo-like game using a grid;

FIG. 2 shows a game statistic sheet for children

FIG. 3 depicts a cardboard mannequin called “Football Joe”;

FIG. 4 shows a paper field goal taped to a designated wall;

FIG. 5 depicts a plurality of football-shaped cards;

FIG. 6 illustrates an answer pad for the answer;

FIG. 7 shows a scorecard for adult players; and

FIG. 8 shows a scorecard for child players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides several football related games and activities as a single product, the result being a unique combination for use while watching a football game such as the Super Bowl on television. Participants are invited to play some or all of the different “segments” described below. The winner having accumulated the most points will be named the Sports Party MVP and be awarded the Sports Party Mania gold trophy. In the preferred embodiment, one combination of the segments is intended for adults, while a different combination is intended for younger players, as described herein below.

Bingo-Like Game Segment

One aspect of the invention resides in a bingo-like game using the grid shown in FIG. 1. The grid has 100 boxes with 10 chip locations along the top for the “home team,” and 10 chip locations along the side for the “visiting team.” First one determines how many participants will be playing, and the number 100 is divided by the number of participants. For example, if 10 people are playing, then divide 100 boxes by 10 people. Each participant then picks 10 random boxes and places their initials in the boxes chosen.

After all the boxes have designated participant initials, numbered chips (numbered 0-9) are placed into a small helmet (or other container) and drawn randomly. The numbered chips are first placed on the upper horizontal portion of the grid from left to right. The chips are then redrawn and randomly positioned along the left vertical side of the grid from top to bottom. Now that the grid has been completed, the game is ready to begin.

After the end of the quarter of a football game (or period of hockey or half of soccer, etc.), the score of the game respective to each team is posted on the bottom of the grid. The winner of each quarter is determined by taking the last digit of each team and intersecting the vertical box with the horizontal box.

For example, suppose a game resulted in the following cumulative scores per quarter:

Quarter	Team #1	Team #2
1	10	3
2	21	14
3	28	17
4	31	19

The last number of each score is:

Quarter	Team #1	Team #2
1	0	3
2	1	4
3	8	7
4	1	9

The intersections 3-0, 4-1, 7-8 and 0-1 indicate the winning participants per quarter, with points being awarded such as 5 points for Q1, 10 points for Q2, 5 points for Q3 and 15 points for Q4.

Game Statistics Segment

According to this aspect of the invention, each participant answers answer all questions (i.e., 25) on a game statistics sheet (not shown). These questions must be answered prior to the start of the game, as they relate directly to the football game being played. Each correctly answered question is worth 1 point. The winner of this section is the participant that accumulates the most points. The Game Statistics Segment would preferably be different for adults and children; FIG. 2 shows a game statistic sheet for children.

Interactivity

1. Ball Toss Segment: A cardboard mannequin (i.e., “Football Joe,” FIG. 3) is positioned in an upright position, and a balloon is taped in the middle of the white oval. Using a foam football and standing at a distance of 10 feet, each participant will get 5 tosses. The object is to get the foam football to hit the balloon on Football Joe. Each successful toss will give the participant 5 points. The winner of this section is the participant that accumulates the most points.

2. Field Goal Kicking Segment: A paper field goal (FIG. 4) is taped to a designated wall. A participant will hold the football down with his/her finger and the kicker will attempt to kick the inflated football through the upright portion on the field goal from a distance of 10 feet. Each field goal is worth 5 points. The winner of this section is the participant that accumulates the most points.

Trivia

A plurality of football-shaped cards are provided (FIG. 5), which are arranged in packs of five, by 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. Each card contains one trivia question on the front and an answer on the back. At the start of every quarter, each participant will be given the questions and will have the entire quarter to complete each pack of questions on the answer pad provided (FIG. 6). All answers must be turned in before the end of the quarter. Each question is worth one point. For those football buffs, additional questions are included.

Point Score

After the completion of the football game, all participants will tally their points on the scorecards provided. FIG. 7 shows a scorecard for adult players, and FIG. 8 shows a scorecard for child or younger-adult players. Each adult and each child who accumulates the most points will receive a SPORTS PARTY MANIA MVP GOLD TROPHY.

Claims

1. A sports activity kit, comprising:

a statistics segment wherein each participant answers questions regarding sports-related statistics prior to a game, with points being awarded to each participant for each correct answer; and

at least two of the following additional, different game segments:

a) a bingo-like game wherein participants guess at the score for a period of the game, with points being awarded to each participant for each correct answer;

b) an interactive game segment wherein participants throw or kick a ball at a target, with points being awarded to each participant for each correct answer;

c) a trivia segment wherein participants chose cards with trivia questions and mark their answers on an answer pad, with points being awarded to each participant for each correct answer; and

wherein, upon completion of the chosen segments, all participants tally their accumulated points, and the participant who accumulates the most points wins.

2. The sports activity kit of claim 1, wherein the winner receives a trophy.

3. The sports activity kit of claim 1, comprising a plurality of interactive game segments, including:

a ball-toss component wherein a participant tosses a ball to a target of a sports player included with the kit; and

a ball-kick component wherein a participant kicks a ball to a target of a goal post included with the kit.

4. The sports activity kit of claim 3, including the following combination of game segments for adults:

game statistics segment,

bingo-like game, and

trivia segment; and the following combination of game segments for children: game statistics segment, ball-toss component, and ball-kick component.