Fall has finally descended on Florida! It’s my favorite season for several reasons – cooler temperatures, fun festivals and events and college football on the weekends. I typically make one pilgrimage each fall to my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to experience a game. During other fall weekends in Florida, I’m watching games on ESPN’s many channels. Interestingly, Disney has produced several animated shorts celebrating this classic game. One of the earliest is a black and white cartoon titled “Touchdown Mickey.” It was released in 1932 and features Mickey Mouse trying to score the winning touchdown against Pete and the Alley Cats (you can find it on the DVD set “Walt Disney Treasures – Mickey Mouse in Black and White”). You may also recall one of my favorites from “How To” series with Goofy titled “How To Play Football.” At Disney Parks, we have created a variety of football-themed items over the years including pins, t-shirts, hats and much more. During a recent visit to the Downtown Disney Marketplace in Florida, I photographed a few items that caught my eye.
There is a new football-inspired Disney Ear Hat. It is part of a trio of sports-themed hats which also include a baseball and basketball. The hat is made from a type of vinyl material which almost feels like a real football (though throwing it would be slightly difficult).
The Disney Pin team introduced four new open-edition pins to the assortment of NCAA College Football pins which I found at Disney’s Pin Traders. The new teams include the University of Michigan, Auburn University, University of Texas and the University of Alabama.
During my walk at Downtown Disney, I also found a football-shaped ornament in the Disney Days of Christmas location, a decorated football-shaped cookie at Goofy’s Candy Company and a bobble figurine at Team Mickey.
Besides college football, I also follow some teams in the NFL on occasion. My parents and relatives are from the Pittsburgh, Pa., area so you probably know which colors I’m wearing. Coming in early 2012, we have produced a series of three-inch Vinylmation figures featuring select teams from the NFL. They will be packaged in open window boxes so you can pick your favorite.
Speaking of favorites, who are you rooting for this year?
Comments
will this merchandise be available at disneyland here in california?? or online or something?
I’m cheering on the Buckeyes – just like you! Love the football pins!! GO BUCKS!!
UC Bearcats!!!!!!!!
Nice NFL ones. Go Pats! Steven, let’s not talk about the game this past weekend 🙂
Go Forty-Niner’s and San Jose State (although I doubt you will have them in pin form!)
I love the Patriots Vinylmation!!!
We need NCAA College Vinylmations also–This is real football—
RTR
@Alyssa and William – You will be happy to know that we are creating NCAA figures. I didn’t have the samples available when I was writing this article. The figures will not focus on one particular sport but rather be representative of logos and school colors.
As with other fans, I would love to have a Denver Broncos Vinylmation! I hope eventually we can have one for each team and also more representation for NCAA teams as well. Go Broncos and Go Buffaloes!
Will you have all 32 teams from the NFL? I really want a Colts one! 🙂
@Lauren – Thank you for the feedback. I will share with the development team. I know they take several factors into consideration when selecting teams. Some of the decision has to the number of items we can carry in locations and historical sales record. Yet as in the case with Disney pins, we tried a few teams one year and added a few years later.
@Kim – We unfortunately won’t have all 32 teams. See my response above for some insight.
I have to say, I really like the NCAA College Football team pins. Unfortunately, my favorite team, the University of Miami, has yet to be included in the NCAA merchandise. I can’t seem to understand how the 2 other big NCAA teams from Florida, University of Florida and Florida State, are included in this merchandise, but UM is not. I just don’t understand how UM, a large university in Florida where WDW is, is never included. Please express my sentiments to whoever can include UM in the future. Thanks.
I keep hoping for some University of Nebraska merchandise…I’d buy Colts stuff too even though they’re a lost cause this year.
Go Ohio State Buckeyes
I can’t wait for the NFL Vinylmations! Very happy to see my two teams, Patriots and Saints, shown in what I assume is Series 1. But no Cowboys? I’d think that would be a top seller.
@Eric – Look carefully at the back row of figures. 🙂
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