GB2581169A

GB2581169A - Improvements in or relating to pitch or field games

Info

Publication number: GB2581169A
Application number: GB1901628.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold Jonas John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-02-06
Filing date: 2019-02-06
Publication date: 2020-08-12
Also published as: GB201901628D0

Abstract

The goal assembly comprises a pair of goals 30, 31 in which either: respective goal mouth areas are substantially different; or the goals 30, 31 are constructed in a back-to-back relationship. The assembly is suitable to be used in a pitch or field-based game in which two teams play against each other with an objective of scoring in an opponent’s goal 30, 31. The goal mouths may be generally trapezoidal, circular or elliptical and may have substantially different widths, diameters or major axes. The goal mouths may be vertically or horizontally aligned or may be inclined to the vertical or horizontal. The assembly may have a frame having openings defining goals 30, 31 formed by a pair of posts and a crossbar and the frame supports a goal net common to both goals. The different goal mouth dimensions allows for setting each team a difficulty level to apply a handicap to the game.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PITCH OR FIELD GAMES

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to games played on a field or pitch, in particular to games involving a goal or net.

There are many games involving two teams playing on a pitch or field which is divided into two halves each with a respective goal area in which the objective is for each team to score goals in their opponent's goal area. The goals may have generally vertical openings or goal mouths, such as in football, hockey and similar games; or may have generally horizontal openings, such as in basketball or netball.

Conventionally, the two goal areas are at opposite ends of the pitch or field and are of identical size. Equally conventionally, the games are played with the teams swapping ends during the match, typically once or twice per match, to equalise any environmental advantage that one end may have over the other, for example in terms of direction ground slope or climatic conditions such as wind direction or the direction of sunlight. However, such equalisation of environmental advantage acts to impose a uniformity on the play throughout the whole game. The present invention seeks to overcome this problem.

Accordingly, in its broadest sense, the present invention provides a goal assembly for a pitch-or field-based game in which two teams play against each other and in which each team has an allocated goal having a goal mouth area and plays with an objective of scoring goals in an opponent's goal; in which the goal assembly comprises a pair of goals in which, in a first aspect, the respective goal mouth areas are substantially different or, in a second aspect, the pair of goals are constructed in a back-to-back relationship.

In the first aspect of the present invention, in a first embodiment, the goals have generally trapezoidal goal mouths and preferably at least a respective width of the goal mouths are substantially different. More preferably, the pair of goals comprises a first goal having a first goal mouth and a second goal having a second goal mouth wherein the width of the first goal mouth is from about 60% to about 95% of the width of the second goal mouth, even more preferably from about 70% to about 90% of the width of the second goal mouth.

In certain embodiments, the trapezoidal goal mouths are rectilinear or isosceles in shape and may be the same or different.

In a second embodiment of the first aspect, the goals have generally circular goal mouths wherein the diameters of the goal mouths are substantially different; or generally elliptical goal mouths wherein the major axes of the goal mouths are substantially different.

In certain embodiments, at least one of the generally circular goal mouths is elongated to form a geometric stadium; or at least one of the generally elliptical goal mouths is irregularly elongated along its major axis to form an oval.

In the second aspect of the present invention, in certain embodiments, the pair of goals constructed in a back-to-back relationship both have, in play, generally vertically-opening goal mouths or generally horizontally-opening goal mouths, both goal mouths being of substantially identical area.

In certain embodiments, the generally vertically-opening or generally-horizontally opening goals are inclined to the horizontal or vertical respectively by an angle of from about 00 to about 40°, preferably from about 10° to about 30.° In certain embodiments, the goal assembly having pair of goals constructed in a back-to-back relationship comprises a frame having a first opening defining a first goal and a second opening defining a second goal; wherein each opening is defined by a pair of posts having a cross-bar therebetween; and wherein the frame supports a lateral goal net, wherein the goal net is common to both goals. Optionally, the goals further include side nets associated with each goal.

In certain embodiments, vertically-opening goal mouths are generally trapezoidal in shape.

Optionally, the goal mouths are rectilinear or isosceles in shape.

Preferably, both goal mouths are of substantially the same shape.

The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a football pitch including an embodiment of the goal assembly of a first aspect of the present invention; Figure 2 shows several schematic views of alternative goal shapes for one or both of the goals of the goal assembly of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a variation of a goal of the goal assembly of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a netball goal assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention; Figure 5 is a side view of a first embodiment of a football or hockey goal assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention; Figure 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of a football or hockey goal assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a football or hockey goal assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a football or hockey goal assembly in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a generally conventional layout of a football pitch 10 showing the conventional line markings for a centre spot 11, half-way line 12, and goal area markings 13 at each end of the pitch. Associated with each goal area is a goal 14,15. Each goal 14,15 has a respective goal area. Conventionally, a goal in football is defined by a crossbar supported by two parallel, spaced vertical posts. Accordingly, the goals have a goal area determined by multiplying the height of the crossbar above the ground by the width between the two vertical posts.

In contrast to conventional goals, where rules require that both goals have the same height and width, in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, one of the goals has a substantially different area from the other. In the embodiment shown, first goal 14 has a smaller goal mouth or area than second goal 15.

In certain embodiments, the height of both goals is the same and only the width differs. In other embodiments, the width is the same for each goal and the height of one goal is greater than that of the other goal. One of the goals may have standard dimensions for the level of football being played, these being, under Football Association recommendations: Adult & Youth (under 15+) 24 feet by 8 feet Youth (under 13-under 14) 21 feet by 7 feet Youth (under 11-under 12) 16 feet by 7 feet Mini soccer (under 7-under 10) 12 feet by 6 feet and the other goal may have dimensions which either exceed one or both of these dimensions or are less than one of both of these dimensions.

In preferred embodiments, the goal mouth areas are arranged to differ by provision of goal mouths having different widths. In certain embodiments, the width of the first goal mouth 14 is from about 70% to about 90% of the width of the second goal mouth 15.

Although described above with respect to football, this aspect of the present invention is equally adapted for application to other sports conventionally using generally rectangular goals, such as hockey, water polo, rugby football, for example. Equally, the invention is equally adapted for application to sports having a different design of goal, such as basketball and netball, in which each goal is represented by a horizontally-mounted circular hoop. In these types of goal, the goal mouth areas may be made different by providing that the diameter of one hoop is smaller than that of the other hoop. Additionally or alternatively, the shape of one of the hoops may be adjusted, such as to present an oval or stadium-shaped opening rather than circular.

By having two goals of different goal areas, the dynamics of the game change dramatically.

In particular, for the team playing with the smaller goal, their tactics during their period with the smaller goal will be to attack more strongly against the larger goal of their opponent. Equally, the team defending the smaller goal will be particularly focussed on defending. When the teams swap ends, and thereby swap goal sizes, the tactics of both teams will then also switch in comparison with the previous period.

Additionally, with this change of focus for each team, many or each team member will need to have all-round skills at both attack and defence. This will also enhance the enjoyment of the game to the players.

Furthermore, often, sports matches are accompanied by considerable betting activity. The change in the dynamics will also enhance the enjoyment by betting punters as the odds may differ depending upon which team has the larger goal earlier in the match, when the players may be less fatigued.

The game can still be played according to the usual rules of the relevant game. However, the opportunity can also be taken to modify standard rules, for example by removing an offside rule.

In a conventional goal assembly, the shape of each goal is normally rectangular. The advantages of the novel goal assemblies of the present invention in terms of changing the dynamics of a football game can be further enhanced by changing the shape of one or both goals. For example, in certain embodiments, the left and right (as viewed in Figure 2) goal posts 20,21 and crossbar 22 of one or both goals may be arranged to define a different trapezium shape from a rectangular shape. The posts 20,21 may, for example, be made to incline towards each other inwardly within the plane of the goal mouth defined by the posts and crossbar, thereby defining an upright isosceles trapezium-shaped goal mouth (Figure 2a) if inclined inwardly at the top of the goal mouth; or an inverted isosceles trapezium (Figure 2b) if inclined inwardly at the bottom of the goal mouth; or one goal post may be made to incline inwardly whereas the other is made to incline outwardly, defining a parallelogram-shaped goal mouth (Figure 2c), for example.

In further variations, the goal posts 20,21 of one or both goals are inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of play by an angle i to the vertical (Figure 3). This presents a more open goal to attacking players to direct the ball over the head of the goalkeeper. Angle 8 is typically of the order of about 100 to 30°.

In the second aspect of the present invention, the pair of goals is constructed in a back-to-back relationship. An example of this is shown in Figure 4 which shows a pair of netball goals 30,31 mounted to a common support post 32, in turn mounted in a base 33 to prevent movement of the apparatus during play.

The arrangement applied to football or hockey goals, for example, is shown in side profile in Figure 5. In this embodiment, two generally conventional goal mouths 40,41, each defined by a pair of generally vertical goal posts joined at their upper ends by respective crossbars, are joined in a spaced relationship by a pair of coupling bars 42, each coupling a corner of one goal mouth with the adjacent corner of the other goal mouth. In a variation, a single coupling bar is provided, centrally attached between the crossbars.

As shown in Figure 5, a net 43,44 associated with each goal 40.41 is supported from the frame formed by the goal posts and crossbar. In an alternative arrangement, shown in Figure 6, the two goals share a common back net 45 hung from coupling bars 42, with side nets 46 associated with each goal and carried conventionally by the goal posts and crossbar.

In a further alternative arrangement, shown in Figure 7, the back-to-back goal assembly comprises a single pair of upright goal posts 50,51 with a crossbar 52 therebetween and a generally vertical, planar net 53 hung from the crossbar and between the goalposts.

A modification of the arrangement of Figure 7 is shown in Figure 8 in which each upright post is replaced by a triangular frame 54,55 formed of a horizontal ground member coupled at each end thereof to an upwardly inwardly-inclined post joining at their upper ends with the crossbar 52. The net 53 is mounted between the crossbar 52 and the midpoints of the two horizontal ground members. This arrangement provides a transportable goal and avoids the need for the upright goal posts of Figure 7 to be permanently mounted into the ground or for the provision of permanent ground anchors into which the upright goal posts are inserted. In a modification, each triangular frame may additionally be fitted with a side net (not shown) to close the triangular frame from passage of a ball.

It will be appreciated that mounting both goals in a back-to-back relationship substantially changes the way in which the respective game is played. Instead of both teams playing between goals at each end of a pitch, the teams play around a centrally-positioned goal area. This means that the game can be played on a smaller pitch, enabling play to be conducted where ever there is space to place the goals. Additionally, in playing on a smaller pitch, a highly satisfactory game can be played with fewer players if desired.

Additionally, a ball can be passed from one team's goal area to the other team's goal area by passing the ball over the goal assembly. This adds an additional dimension to the tactics employed by the playing teams and also results in the ball being out of play less of the time, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the game to both players and spectators.

Yet further, especially in the context of the goal assemblies shown in Figures 4 to 8, the likelihood of an own-goal increases, thereby further increasing the excitement for spectators.

Accordingly, the present invention provides goals assemblies which change the dynamics of the games and provide an enhanced experience for spectators.

Claims

CLAIMS1 A goal assembly for a pitch-or field-based game in which two teams play against each other and in which each team has an allocated goal having a goal mouth area and plays with an objective of scoring goals in an opponent's goal; in which the goal assembly comprises a pair of goals in which: i) the respective goal mouth areas are substantially different; or ii) the pair of goals are constructed in a back-to-back relationship.
2 A goal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective goal mouth areas are substantially different and wherein the goals have generally trapezoidal goal mouths.
3 A goal assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least a respective width of the goal mouths are substantially different.
4 A goal assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the respective goal mouth areas are substantially different and wherein the pair of goals comprises a first goal having a first goal mouth and a second goal having a second goal mouth wherein the width of the first goal mouth is from about 60% to about 95% of the width of the second goal mouth, even more preferably from about 70% to about 90% of the width of the second goal mouth.
A goal assembly as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the trapezoidal goal mouths are rectilinear or isosceles in shape and may be the same or different.
6 A goal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the respective goal mouth areas are substantially different and wherein the goals have generally circular goal mouths wherein the diameters of the goal mouths are substantially different; or generally elliptical goal mouths wherein the major axes of the goal mouths are substantially different.
7 A goal assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least one of the generally circular goal mouths is elongated to form a geometric stadium; or at least one of the generally elliptical goal mouths is irregularly elongated along its major axis to form an oval.
8 A goal assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair of goals are constructed in a back-to-back relationship and wherein the pair of goals both have, in play, generally vertically-opening goal mouths or generally horizontally-opening goal mouths, both goal mouths being of substantially identical area.
9 A goal assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the goals are generally vertically-opening or generally-horizontally opening goals and are inclined to the horizontal or vertical respectively by an angle of from about 0° to about 40°, preferably from about 100 to about 30.° A goal assembly as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 comprising a frame having a first opening defining a first goal and a second opening defining a second goal; wherein each opening is defined by a pair of posts having a cross-bar therebetween; and wherein the frame supports a lateral goal net, wherein the goal net is common to both goals.