Patent Attorney and Founder
Sharks, Advanced Sports technology is at the Forefront of a new sport that’s sweeping the entire nation like a tidal wave – sharks, this is the National Association of Bubble Soccer.
[Music] [Laughter]
We gotta try this!
[Music] [Laughter]
They can really play!
The National Association of Bubble Soccer adds the one thing missing from traditional soccer – full contact. Can we try it?
Yes! Come on out!
Oh I’m lucky you, you guys are toast! You’re gonna loop your hands through these first.
[Music]
[Laughter]
Hahaha!
[Laughter]
Okay, okay so was that what was missing from soccer? That is absolutely not what is missing from soccer. Uh, okay alright. I mean, not terrible, really funny. Um, got a good laugh out of it though, right? My kids had to use those, I’ve seen my kids play with those up at like, their grandparents’ place. Yeah, yeah. So this was, this was back in 2016 or 17, it was pitched. Um, and this was, uh, it was part of a proposal from John Anthony Rodosta. Um, and he was asking for 160 grand for just 10% equity. No deal, unfortunately.
There was a lot, there’s a lot going on. There was actually a lot of competition, just as you mentioned. I looked really hard for the original, uh, inflatable bubble soccer, or bubble, you know, container. I did find something but it was related to water sports. Um, so I think the lack of novelty and the ability for them to go to market was tough. Um, and he wasn’t able to really get into the U.S. but did have sort of one in Europe that they were going to try to get into. So no investment there. Um, but I want to show, uh, that that one that I found – it was based in New York because it was related to water. Uh, let’s see…
And also, when you get ready for that for a trademark discussion on a business like that, um, this is the Bumper Ball back in ’99. So this is actually all fully open to the public to use since, so 2021, or you know 2019 I suppose would be when this but has open ends, it’s got these spikes on it but I think it really could have any type of a look. Hmm… This was for kind of a water toy though, or a water apparatus anyway. I’m sure there’s others – if I had more time I would be able to find, you know, the more traditional kind of just play toy. Um, but the original, this one was for water. And but this would likely prevent other types of, you know, wearable bubble inflatable balls.
It’s got a sign up that says “Exit” – that looks absolutely terrifying! You’re gonna make me wear that and then get in the water? Super claustrophobic! I’m out.
Um, so really I would think a really bad name like that – “National Association of Bubble Soccer” – can you call yourself, I mean you can form a company perhaps? Yeah, talk to me about the trademark complications, good, bad, otherwise on something. Um, I would say that that is a merely descriptive trademark – you know “bumper soccer”. If you say, hey I got this organization, this entertainment association of, you know, coaches and players and teams, and we’re calling ourselves “Bumper Soccer”, right? You know I’ve never seen bumper soccer before but I’m pretty sure I know what it is, right? It’s gonna be soccer and somehow you are wearing something related to bumping people, right?
Yeah, so that sounds pretty descriptive to me. So, okay… Um, you might have to do something else, kind of like Major League Soccer, Major League Baseball, you know… You know, Major League Soccer for example – I’m sure it’s registered now because it’s, you know, so well known – but, you know, MLS the acronym is what’s really the brand! Yeah, and perhaps an emblem, like that. I’m thinking of a design almost, thinking of a symbol like a shield symbol comes to mind, but maybe this relates to some design!
Yeah well that’s the trouble when you, when you bring a product to market like that that is sort of part of a trend, if you will, or you’re following others that have innovated – you’ve got to have some additional something, something about your business that’s unique, something about the marketing. Um, and maybe you’ve got some, some sort of “in” with, with other maybe franchise or facility that you can make a difference in.