http://www.freshpatents.com/Fantasy-sports...20050116422.php
http://www.freshpatents.com/Fantasy-sports...php?type=claims
[0001] The present invention claim priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/500,476, filed Sep. 5, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems for conducting fantasy sports tournaments and related games. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for rewarding and compensating winners of fantasy sports tournaments and related games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Fantasy sports games have become immensely popular, particularly with the emergence of the Internet and the ability of large numbers of people with common interests at different geographic locations to compete in interactive fantasy sports gaming. Certain fantasy sports games are played for free, where the winner simply emerges from the game with the pride of victory. Other fantasy sports games require an entrance fee and provide cash prizes to the winners-sometimes substantially large prizes. As fantasy sports gaming becomes more popular and as additional participants enter fantasy gaming, each with their own incentives for playing, new systems and methods for entertaining and rewarding the numerous and diverse types of players are needed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 shows prize designs in some embodiments of the present invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 shows prize designs in some embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to systems for conducting fantasy sports tournaments and related games. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for rewarding and compensating winners of fantasy sports tournaments and related games.
[0007] Research conducted during the development of the present invention found that more than 15 million American adults have played fantasy sports during the year prior the filing of priority application 60/500,476 with more than 12 million adults expected to play fantasy football the following fall according to a survey conducted for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. The survey also showed that in the year prior the filing of priority application 60/500,476, 7.2 percent of all adult Americans played fantasy sports with 78 percent of those participants playing fantasy football. The average fantasy football participant has been playing for six years, checks the teams online at work regularly, spends almost 3 hours a week managing the teams and is more likely to become even more involved in this hobby in the future.
[0008] The demographics of all fantasy players paints an upscale profile: average age is 37, average household size is 2.7, average annual household income is over $76,000 and over 90% of players are male. The University of Mississippi, which conducted the demographic survey in 2002, projects an 11.5% growth rate for football this year, meaning that hundreds of millions of dollars will be generated in 2003 through this growing industry.
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http://www.freshpatents.com/Fantasy-sports...php?type=claims
[0001] The present invention claim priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/500,476, filed Sep. 5, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to systems for conducting fantasy sports tournaments and related games. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for rewarding and compensating winners of fantasy sports tournaments and related games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Fantasy sports games have become immensely popular, particularly with the emergence of the Internet and the ability of large numbers of people with common interests at different geographic locations to compete in interactive fantasy sports gaming. Certain fantasy sports games are played for free, where the winner simply emerges from the game with the pride of victory. Other fantasy sports games require an entrance fee and provide cash prizes to the winners-sometimes substantially large prizes. As fantasy sports gaming becomes more popular and as additional participants enter fantasy gaming, each with their own incentives for playing, new systems and methods for entertaining and rewarding the numerous and diverse types of players are needed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1 shows prize designs in some embodiments of the present invention.
[0005] FIG. 2 shows prize designs in some embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to systems for conducting fantasy sports tournaments and related games. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for rewarding and compensating winners of fantasy sports tournaments and related games.
[0007] Research conducted during the development of the present invention found that more than 15 million American adults have played fantasy sports during the year prior the filing of priority application 60/500,476 with more than 12 million adults expected to play fantasy football the following fall according to a survey conducted for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. The survey also showed that in the year prior the filing of priority application 60/500,476, 7.2 percent of all adult Americans played fantasy sports with 78 percent of those participants playing fantasy football. The average fantasy football participant has been playing for six years, checks the teams online at work regularly, spends almost 3 hours a week managing the teams and is more likely to become even more involved in this hobby in the future.
[0008] The demographics of all fantasy players paints an upscale profile: average age is 37, average household size is 2.7, average annual household income is over $76,000 and over 90% of players are male. The University of Mississippi, which conducted the demographic survey in 2002, projects an 11.5% growth rate for football this year, meaning that hundreds of millions of dollars will be generated in 2003 through this growing industry.
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