An Own Goal - Football and the Toy market?

Football is a big big BIG business and selling product within the market is primarily done via the clubs, through exclusive licencing deals, and the majority of products produced generally don't fall in to the 'toy' market. I know you can buy stationery, clothing, balls, and plush, but most of these items fall under the practical or mascot element of the industry rather than playability and 'toy' we like to deal with.

The Bear league range is looking pretty neat and I know Build-a-Bear has licenced several bear sized outfits from the major clubs, which obviously cover the plush / bear side of the market, but its still not action enough for me!

Trading cards - fall into playground grazes and games, and the Match Attax Cards have been hugely popular particularly in the UK with the strength of the Premiership Brand. And i know these are considered in toy retailing, but for me cards are not traditionally 'toys'.

There have been several attempts to break into pure toys within this market and the now defunct Corinthians 'ProStars' range proved popular and collectable but still remained a collect and play 'game' toy rather than a 'action' based play toy.

I suspect the market for Action Figure style toys based upon footballers has proven difficult to market, as there are several barriers to playability. 

Firstly, loyalty. In Star Wars, for example, you buy all the products to create an environment to play, but 99% of football fans will only buy their own team that's is Club Crest branded. So, only ranges of major successful clubs are marketable for a start. Although Corinthians had a limited success at selling all top clubs. No offence to Stoke or Wigan but their top players are only going to sell to a small % of the relatively small number of fans that they have, unlike the small % of a much larger fan base, that clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea have.

Secondly, is playability. What can you do with a toy that comes in one just outfit? Which is designed for just one purpose, and is part of a larger team who all wear the same outfit? Unlike Armies for example, like Action Man, they fight, die, play in various scenarios and the scenario can be created over and over against enemies and such like, but if you've only got a collection of one or two single football characters all wearing the same kit its not a playable toy, its a display figure. Hey even Action Man released a footballer range and even some Kits (Clothing) when they celebrated their 40th Anniversary.

Thirdly, is choice of peripheral accessories. Usually, boys action figures come with vehicles, playsets, and much more, including different outfits, and accessories like weapons. Footballers can come in one outfit for HOME team, and possibly and way colour. Fans don't tend to buy the casual dressed footballer, or even the footballer in pre-match tracksuit. They want the player to arrive fully dressed in the team strip. Even a 'football' accessory is not totally necessary. There is no playset, a stadium diorama is way too big - and realistically you'd need 22 action figures and a set of linesmen and refs, and managers.... Subbuteo did this on a smaller scale for many years, and that's a game, rather than a toy, specifically (not that i'm knocking Subbuteo which is a superb action game, as is standard table football / fusball). And it appears Total Soccer are replicating this with some similar to Subbuteo sets (see below)

Anyhow, I'm not sure kids would want players to drive up in their Bentley Toy Car in a Ken styled suit and get 'dressed' for Training, then change into the official kit. (see Ashely with Wag and car below - would you buy the lot?)

So where does this leave us, with action figure type sports toys? I remember back in my day - the 1980's - we used to have a range of statue style figures approx 6" high of the starts of the day, but they were simply situated on a green base with a solid ball and no points of articulation. I loved my figures I had but they did just sit on a shelf. Tonka also produced a range in the late 80's early 90's as well, again these were simply for display.


And I know over the years similar products have been produced, to varying degrees of success... and ports star collectables of this type are pretty big business in the USA, with pro stars being immortalised in all sorts of ways, in various sports, from American Football, Baseball, Basketball and Nascar. 

So this brings us up to date with today's new toy which is Pattni-Imaginations 'Match-Stars' series of blister packed action figure styled footballers, featuring the Stars from Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool , Arsenal & Barcelona.


These are fully articulated action figures in full licenced kits, with pretty good likenesses of the players. Retailing at £9.99 they come on club crested cards.

from the official Pattni-Imaginations website comes this detail:

MATCH-STARS is a new and exciting range of fully authentic action figures that will feature the world's best players including Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Cesc Fabregas to name a few. 

Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester United and FC Barcelona are all signed up for the debut Match-Stars range. Players from each team will feature in the official home kit of the new season, complete with club sponsors and the official Premier League name and numbering print for all English teams.

Combined with incredible detail and multiple points of
articulation, is a unique kicking leg feature.

Take multiple types of shots by adjusting the pose and
pass the ball to another team mate by lowering
the intensity.

Pull out a top performance to become a Match-Star.

It does sound like these figures will work well together, with the ball included in each pack, it may have some great playability whereby you will be able to pass and kick to your friends. 

Obviously this is the best we can hope for really, in terms of Action Figures and sports stars, only the likes of David Beckham, could probably pull off a range that includes a WAG, (after all there is a Posh Spice doll - going back a few years) - would anyone buy a playeset or sports car, as well as the action figure, the Beckham kids, the trendy outfits, or do boys, who will buy these Match-Stars, just want the players in the Home Kit?

There is obvious potential for away kits, and other teams, including Internationals, but that's down to Licenecing from official Associations, which I know can be difficult. Its an interesting development, but I suspect its down to how well this intial set of figures go and who buys what. 

Maybe it'll be the start of something new, i'll try and get some of these in stock - especially as the new season has just kicked off and footy is back on the radar again. Let me kno what you think.