Patent Publication Number: US-2011077066-A1

Title: Video game sports league and methods relating to same

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/246,341, filed Sep. 28, 2009. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to methods for conducting and playing a variety of games and contests. One particular embodiment of the invention includes a method of organizing and conducting a national video game sports league. Another embodiment of the invention includes a “fantasy” sports league relating to the video game sports league. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the “fantasy” sports league is incorporated into a video game. 
     “Fantasy” sports leagues, such as Fantasy Football and Fantasy Baseball, have become extremely popular in recent years. Such fantasy leagues typically involve a group of participants who form their own “league”, in which each participant drafts or acquires via auction individual players from a particular sports league, such as the National Football League (“NFL”) or Major League Baseball (“MLB”), to form the participant&#39;s own “fantasy” team. Each fantasy team then scores points based on the real life statistical performance of each player on the fantasy team over the course of a season of the particular sports league (i.e. NFL, MLB, etc.). Many variations of the past-time have developed over the years. It has been estimated that more than fifteen million people in the United States participate in the billion dollar industry of fantasy sports leagues. 
     Indeed, professional sports in general is an extremely lucrative industry. For example, the NFL is the preeminent professional sports league, and its games are consistently among the most watched programs on television. After the conclusion of each NFL season there remains a large population of football fans who have minimal, if any, football related events to attend or programming to view. As such, capturing the interest of this large pool of football fans upon completion of the NFL season and providing entertainment of interest to those fans is desirable. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the present invention is to provide a method for conducting a game and/or contest that retains the interest of fans of a particular sports league after the conclusion of the sports league&#39;s season. Another object of the invention is to provide a game incorporating a fantasy sports league into a related video game. These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved in the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed herein. 
     One embodiment of the invention comprises a method of conducting a video game sports league that comprises the steps of providing a video game relating to a sport and having a plurality of distinguishable teams, and selecting a plurality of players for playing in the video game sports league. A team from the video game is assigned to each of the video game players, and each player controls the team so assigned. Play of the video game sports league is commenced by the players after conclusion of a season of a “real-life” sports league relating to the sport, such as the National Football League or Major League Baseball. The video game players play each other in a series of games on the video game to constitute a season of play of the video game sports league, and at least some of the games of the video game players are broadcast, such as on television or the Internet. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the step of providing a video game relating to a sport and having a plurality of distinguishable teams comprises providing a video game relating to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, motor car racing or golf. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a contest is conducted, in which a plurality of contestants pay a fee to enter the contest and play the video game against each other in a tournament format. Contestants advancing to a particular round of the tournament are selected to be the players, and the number of players selected equals the number of teams in the video game. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, each player selects his or her team in accordance with the order in which each player finished in the contest tournament. As such, the player who wins the contest tournament has the first selection of a team, the runner-up of the contest tournament has the second selection of a team, and all other players select a team sequentially based on how far each player advanced in the contest tournament. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the video game is EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL, and play of the video game sports league is commenced within forty-five days of the conclusion of the National Football League season. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the players play one season of EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, financial compensation is provided to the video game sports league players. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, there is a weekly television show relating to the video game sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, an Internet website provides information relating to the video game sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, there is a fantasy sports league relating to the video game sports league, in which members of the general public can play the fantasy sports league based on results from the video game sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, none of the video game sports league players are allowed to participate in the fantasy sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, there is a television show relating to the video game sports league and the fantasy sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of conducting a fantasy sports league comprising the steps of providing a plurality of fantasy sports league team owners, and providing a draft budget comprised of a predetermined amount of money for each fantasy team owner. A predetermined monetary value is assigned to each player in a particular sports league, such as the National Football League. The value can be based on existing statistics relating to each player. Each fantasy team owner spends his draft budge to acquire desired players to assemble his fantasy team. The performance of the players of each fantasy team is based on the results of a video game sports league. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the fantasy team owners obtain information regarding the performance of the fantasy teams via a video game console and/or an Internet website. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a method of conducting a fantasy sports league comprises the steps of providing a plurality of fantasy sports league team owners, a fantasy sports league commissioner, and a video game console for use by the commissioner. The video game console includes a fantasy sports league application, in which the commissioner and the owners can create and play a fantasy sports league season on the video game console. A fee can be charged to be paid by the commissioner for activating the fantasy sports league application on the video game console. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, there are at least two and no more than twelve team owners. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, the fantasy sports league application is for use in conjunction with EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL video game. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, a fantasy draft is held, in which each team owner selects players to assemble a fantasy team. 
     According to another embodiment of the invention, any player drafted onto one of the fantasy teams is not allowed to be taken out of the team&#39;s starting line-up unless the player becomes injured. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view relating to one embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view relating another embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view relating to yet another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION AND BEST MODE 
     One preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a national video game football league (“NVGFL”), in which a nation-wide televised video game contest begins approximately one month after the MADDEN NFL video game is released. The television show is preferably conducted on a cable sports network, such as ESPN. In order to participate in the contest, an individual must be 18 years or older. Each contestant is charged a fee, such as $60-$100, to participate. The contestants compete for an NFL team slot in the NVGFL by playing the MADDEN NFL video game. The contest can be set up in tournament format with multiple rounds being held in various regions/metropolitan areas. For example, a first round can take place in metropolitan areas throughout the United States. Winners from each metropolitan area can advance to a second round hosted in the thirty-two cities in the United States having NFL teams. Winners from the second round can advance to various regional sites, and eventually a single final contest is held to determine the ultimate winner. 
     The first-place winner of the contest gets the first pick of his or her NFL team of choice, and the next thirty-one placing contestants select the remaining thirty-one NFL teams in the same order as the contestants placed in the contest. Each NVGFL team owner can be paid a salary for participating in the league to attract the most skilled players. 
     The NVGFL season begins upon the conclusion of the real life NFL season. Fantasy football can be played by fans in conjunction with the NVGFL, just as is done with the NFL. That is, fans can acquire and play in a fantasy video game football league. No one playing in the NVGFL is allowed to participant in the fantasy video game football league as such players are able to affect the outcome of NVGFL games, thus affecting the outcome of fantasy NVGFL and giving an unfair advantage. If a NVGFL player is discovered violating this rule, he is removed from the NVGFL and is obligated to return any earnings received during his NVGFL participation. 
     Public and private fantasy NVGFL leagues can be created by payment of a fee per league. A television show can feature fantasy NVGFL participants, who can evaluate the tendencies of the NVGFL players, based on how the players performed in the initial contest stage. The show can describe and explain the various NVGFL players&#39; strengths and weaknesses so that a fantasy video game football league participant can draft their teams accordingly based on the information given. The show will also keep the fantasy league participants updated on the statistics and scores produced by the NVGFL players. Also, an Internet website can provide information relating to the NVGFL players. The Internet website can also provide a link for the public to view each individual game being played by the NVGFL players. The television show and website provide opportunities for cross marketing and sponsorships creating revenue. 
     In another preferred embodiment of the invention, an individual (fantasy team owner) can get a draft budget, such as $100, in which they can spend on any NFL player to fill their roster. Each NFL player is given a dollar value based on their skill and past/projected statistics. 
     Each owner follows his team via their video game console or through an EA Sports Internet website. The owners with the top five highest scores of each week are awarded a prize, such as an EA game, coupons, gift certificates, cash prize, etc., and an ultimate prize is awarded to the fantasy owner with the highest point total at the end of the season. 
     In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a video game console includes a feature in which gamers have the option to create a fantasy football style season online with his friends and/or the general public. Preferably, a minimum of two, and maximum of twelve players are allowed to participate in one season. The video gamer, acting as the “commissioner” for his fantasy league, can be charged a one-time fee to allow the application to operate on his video game console. The term “video game console”, as used herein, refers generally to any and all means for playing video games, such as the MICROSOFT XBOX 360, NINTENDO Wii, SONY PLAYSTATION, personal computers, online “virtual” console services that allow for video game play over the Internet, as well as the video games themselves, in any and all formats, including, but not limited to, cartridges and smart cards. 
     The video game feature gives gamers the ability to select one team inside the fantasy season, as well as giving them the ability to have a fantasy draft and select their own personal fantasy team. Any player drafted onto an individual&#39;s fantasy football team is not allowed to be taken out of the starting depth chart, unless they are injured. 
     Although the above described embodiments of the invention are described as being used in conjunction with the MADDEN NFL video game, the invention is not so limited. The embodiments described above can be applied to any sports-related video games, including, but not limited to, basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, NASCAR racing and golf. Furthermore, the invention can be applied to activities other than sports. 
     A method for conducting a video game sports league and other related methods are described above. Various changes can be made to the invention without departing from its scope. For example, the steps of the methods described herein can be carried out in varying order and are not limited to any particular sequence. The above description of the preferred embodiments and best mode of the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation—the invention being defined by the claims, and equivalents thereof.