Monday, August 11, 2014

NFL ADDS SOME POP WITH NEW LINE OF FUNKO FIGURINES


The popular Funko vinyl toys that mimic pop culture entertainment figures is adding the NFL to its ranks this fall.  Debuting just in time for the kickoff of the National Football League's 2014 season is a new line of Funko Pop! figurines that depict some of football's greatest athletes.  Funko's Pop! Viynl toys are modeled in Japanese chibi style which portrays an exaggerated caricature that is small and chubby with stuffy limbs and over-sized heads giving characters the resemblance of small children.  The NFL joins a wide array of licenses that Funko already holds for a variety of entertainment properties including DC Super Heroes, Disney, Star Wars and The Walking Dead among others.

Funko will be releasing toys of 26 players from 19 NFL teams ranging from Detroit's Calvin "Megatron" Johnson to Washington DC's Reggie Griffin III.  Each figure will be 3.75" and come with a removable helmet.  Each figure will also capture a unique feature of a player in his chibi caricature.  For example, Calvin Johnson will have on eye black, Troy Polamalu and Clay Matthews  have long locks of hair, Andrew Luck will be sporting his lucky beard, a bandage adorns JJ Watts nose and RGIII will be wearing a beanie.  The lineup of represented players ranges from SuperBowl Champs to ProBowl super stars to some of the top rookies picked up in this year's draft.  Yes Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney made the cut.



Each player is also assigned a number on Funko's 2014 roster of NFL figures:

01 Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
02 Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
03 Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
04 Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
05 Tom Brady, New England Patriots
06 Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers
07 DeMarcus Ware, Denver Broncos
08 Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins
09 J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
10 Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
11 Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
12 Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers
13 Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins
14 Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
15 Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
16 Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers
17 Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions
18 Eli Manning, New York Giants
19 Victor Cruz, New York Giants
20 Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
21 Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
22 Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys
23 Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
24 Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
25 Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns
26 Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

This isn't Funko's first foray into mocking up sports figures, but will be its first effort with the NFL.  They have also featured NBA players and WWE wrestlers in the past, plus captured Major League Baseball's mascots in vinyl in the past.


Players are sold separately and suggested retail price is $9.99.  Keep an eye out at stores for your favorite players this fall.  Also note that once a wave of Funko toys is released they normally aren't reproduced again which makes them collectibles that are often grabbed up; so if you see a player you want at a store pick him up because you may not be able to find the toy again once it is sold out unless you go to ebay and pay a huge markup.


For more info, visit www.funko.com

3 comments:

  1. These are awesome. They would make a great Christmas gift for a few people I know.

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  2. Interesting. I haven't heard of these before but they look fun.

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  3. These are really cute. I haven't heard of these before. Ditto what Amber said. They'd make a great Christmas present for the sports fans on my list.

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