Electric Football Timeline 1961 – Gotham Gets The NFL

1961 Gotham NFL Electric Football Game

Gotham Gets The NFL License

Gotham markets the NFL G-1500, the first-ever NFL licensed Electric Football game. This makes Electric Football one of NFL’s earliest licensees. At 36” long the G-1500 is by far the largest Electric Football game ever made. It also came with an elaborate four piece metal grandstand. Sears features the G-1500 in its 1961 Christmas catalog, and uses the game in its newspaper ads all through the Christmas shopping season.

Electric Football's first ever NFL licensed game - the Gotham NFL G-1500

Gotham’s NFL G-1500 included paper uniforms and NFL flags for each team.

As Sears Christmas ad with Gotham's NFL G-1500

Tudor was left behind in 1961, still only having the smaller Tru-Action No. 500 model for sale. Tudor tried to counter Gotham’s NFL by going with the AFL, specifically New York Titan’s QB Al Dorow. Dorow was featured in a nationally advertised Tudor campaign that appeared in Sports Illustrated, Boys’ Life, and the New York Times Magazine.

Tudor Electric Football in 1961

But Tudor President Norman Sas knew that this wasn’t enough. Things would have to be different in 1962.

 

Earl & Roddy

 

For more information about Electric Football check out The Unforgettable Buzz, The Electric Football Wishbook, and Full Color Electric Football!

ELectric Football Book The Unforgettable Buzz order now button

 

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