Wham-O Striker Hacky Sack and DVD - copyright issues?

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 15 Aug 2006 06:13

Look at this:

http://www.footbagcanada.com/detail.aspx?ID=85

Janis brought this to our attention on the Aussie forum at footbag.org.

I find that very weird and a little bit (maybe prematurely) worrying. Lynton Stephens and Steve Ramsey teamed up to produce a tutorial video a few years ago, called 'Footbag Assassin'. To my knowledge the only outside help they got in making it was Steves friend at the ABC, and a smalltime rock band to do the music. Im not sure how many copies were made or exist now, but i believe i own one of the only DVD versions of this video (The rest were VHS; the DVD was never release for sale to my knowledge).

Reading that tricklisting on that site sounds very familiar to me, im concerned that Footbag Assassin has been appropriated for use by Wham-O? Id like to know if Lynton or Steve are aware of this, and are getting any financial gain from it? Cos Wham-O are a big-arse company and id definitely want to know whats going on if i was Lynton.

Anybody close enough to him at the moment to comment? And to those players in North America, has anyone got this DVD or seen it? Anyone have anything they can add to solve this little mystery?

If they are using 'Footbag Assassin' without permission, that is fucked and illegal.

Zjeezy · Post by **Zjeezy** » 15 Aug 2006 06:23

personally I think that Wham-o is a big enough company where they wouldnt use something that they didnt have rights to. but your right if they are that is fucked up.

dp · Post by dp » 15 Aug 2006 07:21

One of my friends was getting into footbag, got lavers, sandbags, everything, then he flaked out. His dad got the Footbag Assassin DVD for him and he didn't want it. Ended up giving it to me.

Spawn · Post by **Spawn** » 15 Aug 2006 09:13

yeah, my teacher gave me one of those DVDs cause they ship it with two footbags and two DVDs.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 15 Aug 2006 18:56

Last time I spoke to Steve (a couple of years ago now) he told me that he was discussing various footbag related initiatives with wham-o. At the time wham-o in Australia was focused on beach games and subsequently they released a terrible "beach" footbag made out of wetsuit material that is like using a rubber ball as a footbag. Given that Steve has been involved in footbag related discussions with wham-o before (and I do vaguley recall him telling me this footbag/dvd combo is exactly te sort of thing he wanted to do) I expect he is involved rather than being ripped off. The only remaining question is why he's been uncontactable for the last couple of years.

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 15 Aug 2006 19:18

Ah i see, good to hear more details from people. I didnt know that the DVD was so widely available overseas. It was never released in Australia which is quite strange considering where it came from.
Id like to know if Lynton or Steve are making any money from this venture? Lynton should be surely!

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 16 Aug 2006 18:03

I doubt Lynton would be making anything off it, he's just in it, he doesn't own it - Steve would be the one to make any money. I doubt its very much, but its beter than nothing.

Webslinger · Post by **Webslinger** » 17 Aug 2006 00:10

I saw this DVD couple weeks ago in one store in Prague, it was placed near by the billiard equipment

janis · Post by **janis** » 17 Aug 2006 00:15

Webslinger wrote:I saw this DVD couple weeks ago in one store in Prague, it was placed near by the billiard equipment

wtf? I've never seen this video, and I've shredded with Lynton

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 17 Aug 2006 02:06

janis wrote:
Webslinger wrote:I saw this DVD couple weeks ago in one store in Prague, it was placed near by the billiard equipment
wtf? I've never seen this video, and I've shredded with Lynton

Weird, the video didn't magically appear when I shredded with him either... what's with that...

King Monkey · Post by **King Monkey** » 17 Aug 2006 09:19

Yeh you guys got ripped off, when i shredded with him, the video started playing on the side of a nearby building like someone was projecting it on there, and 3 elves appeared and started to re-enact their favourite tricks, while a fourth elf played air guitar and made noises like the soundtrack of the DVD.

When we stopped playing, Lynton took off his Lavers and hundreds of copies of the DVD started just pouring out of his shoes, and i managed to grab a copy as we were set upon by hundreds of crazed onlookers all scrambling for a copy of their own.

Other than that i dont know how to get a copy in Australia.

james_dean · Post by **james_dean** » 17 Aug 2006 16:12

damnit, Lynton's holding out on us!

viva la revolution!!!1!one!

BalinorNZ · Post by **BalinorNZ** » 17 Aug 2006 21:03

Lol, Ian you tell the best stories

janis · Post by **janis** » 18 Aug 2006 03:32

LOL Ian

but yeah, I've never seen this video, or even heard about it until I heard some newcomers talking about how they bought this instructional dvd that had Lynton on it, at which point I brought the topic up over at the Aussie .org forum. If anyone knows where I could get a copy it would be appreciated.

Webslinger · Post by **Webslinger** » 18 Aug 2006 05:29

Just go to metro station "Chodov" (red line) and go to the big shopping mall and it is on the first floor in one sport and games store, you will find it....

HG · Post by HG » 18 Aug 2006 05:30

DAMNIT i was at chodov today and forgot to get one.

janis · Post by **janis** » 18 Aug 2006 07:11

Webslinger wrote:Just go to metro station "Chodov" (red line) and go to the big shopping mall and it is on the first floor in one sport and games store, you will find it....

I'll get one next time I'm in town

zach4th · Post by **zach4th** » 18 Aug 2006 18:06

dyalander wrote:The only remaining question is why he's been uncontactable for the last couple of years.

i think i might know why but don't quote me on this, it is because those hackysack named brade bags are crap!