Electric Football Timeline 1976 – Toy World Goes Electronic

America’s Bicentennial Year The American Bicentennial year started with Coleco launching its Telstar home video game console at Toy Fair. In addition, 1976 started with Munro Games on the way to bankruptcy (July). So neither company was overly concerned about … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1975 – More Toy World Turmoil

Munro Games Is In Trouble Munro Games overextended itself in both Electric Football and table hockey in the early 1970s. So by 1975 the company is in deep financial trouble. Desperately trying to make a go in Air Hockey while … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1974 – A Year of Change

 Oil Crisis Hits the Economy The oil crisis hit the U.S. at the end of 1973. This sent the U.S. economy into free fall and the toy business into turmoil, with toy shortages during the 1973 Christmas season. The toy … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1973 Pt. II – Coleco and Christmas

Too Much Electric Football Part 2 Coleco was also starting to downsize and economize, making smaller Electric Football games and games with more plastic in them – i.e. cheaper games. They were even making several Electric Football models that didn’t … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1973 Pt. I – Too Much EF

Too Much Electric Football Almost 40 different Electric Football games were available in 1972. That was a much different number from a decade earlier, when Tudor and Gotham combined for a grand total of four different models in 1962. And … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1972 Pt. II – Tudor, Coleco, and Gotham

A Battle For Toy Buyers With four different companies making Electric Football games, catalog space and toy store shelf space was becoming scarce. The problem was so serious that by summer there would only be three Electric Football makers left, … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1971 Pt. II – Tudor and Gotham

1971 Part II Tudor and Gotham Tudor continued to bring out new models in 1971, including a College game. Once again they supplied Sears with a Super Bowl, and Ward with a special model. But in Sears they had to … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1971 Pt. 1 – Munro Steps onto the Field

Coleco Command Control Coleco continues to push the competition in Electric Football by bringing “Command Control” to Toy Fair. Command Control consists of two metal rods under the game offering magnetic control of one player on each team. Kids playing … Continue reading

Electric Football Timeline 1970 Pt. 1 – Coleco Steps onto the Field

A New Competitor in Coleco   Tudor’s success with Electric Football enticed a third toy maker onto the vibrating gridiron in 1970. That company was Coleco, who was no stranger to the sports toy market thanks to their successful line … Continue reading

Electric Football Game Top 20 Countdown – No. 16

Our Electric Football Game Top 20 Countdown continues with the 1971 Coleco Command Control Electric Action Football 5795 at No. 16. Coleco had a strong Electric Football debut in 1970, despite having boxes with thinly disguised Tudor Electric Football players on … Continue reading

Living Electric Football History Part II — the Coleco and Munro Sites

Electric Football history in the “here and now” was our blog topic last week, and we continue today with the Electric Football makers that were headquartered outside of New York City. And what’s unique about toy makers Coleco and Munro … Continue reading

1970 — Coleco Becomes Electric Football Maker No. 3

It was 45 years ago this spring that Electric Football’s third manufacturer stepped onto the vibrating gridiron. That company was Coleco Industries of Hartford, Connecticut. Coleco’s path to Electric Football began in late 1968, when they purchased Canadian toy maker … Continue reading