Riddell Style Vending

For information about gumball helmets in general and the collecting thereof.
TomS
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Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:39 pm

Riddell Style Vending

Post by TomS »

I was not aware the Riddell style NFL helmet tracker sets were vended in machines until I saw this picture. If you look at the face masks of the helmets they have the Riddell ‘double’ line indicating where the mask continues inside the helmet and if you look inside the Washington helmet you can see the mask continues inside. Does anyone recall seeing these when they were being vended? Did they vending precede the helmet tracker sets or were they concurrent?
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Gumball Wizard
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Gumball Wizard »

I never actually bought helmets post-2000 from a vending machine, but I have some display cards like the one in your picture that appear to have the tracker-style helmets attached to them.

I was under the impression that most of the ones in gumball machines were the ones that appear outwardly similar to the tracker set helmets but are of a cheaper construction and the facemask is glued on rather than fitting inside as you mention.

TomS
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by TomS »

Thanks for the reply John. I believe the best shot we have at any sort of Gumball Helmet ‘museum’ can be found on Fusion Media’s FB Page. That being said, now that we have established the Riddell helmet trackers were vended as official “Gumball Helmets” then it’s time to start a timeline of events of the hobby with all of the branches, including these ones we’re now talking about. I’ll draw up a rough draft timeline linearly (very much like a family tree timeline) on paper and I’d like to collaborate with you and Fusion Media to tighten it up and get it posted for all to see.

I’ll take this weekend to organize what I have for the Miami Dolphins as a simple starter team and we can lay it out with branches from the OPI like a “Family Tree”. FYI your ‘snap style’ Monster Football Leange were later vended as NFL stamp dispensers, and after that, XFL 2001 Factory Gumballs.

I’m on the case and will PM you with more particulars later
This week

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Gumball Wizard
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Gumball Wizard »

TomS wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:57 am
I believe the best shot we have at any sort of Gumball Helmet ‘museum’ can be found on Fusion Media’s FB Page.
Have you talked to Nick lately? It doesn't look like he's updated the page or posted on Facebook since March.

TomS
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by TomS »

Emailed him yesterday,!waiting to hear back

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Gumball Wizard
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Gumball Wizard »

Speaking of timelines, I got the following informational pics from somebody's Facebook page. I honestly don't remember which one or I would credit them.

If whoever is responsible for these considers them proprietary I will probably remove them as a courtesy, though I'm not sure they would be technically copyrightable.

Image

Image

TomS
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by TomS »

Really good analysis and info on that chart

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Gumball Wizard
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Gumball Wizard »

TomS wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:39 am
Really good analysis and info on that chart
Yeah, apparently it's Randy in Allentown (home of OPI). I don't know him. His FB page is here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063605165392

I have a crude list of FB pages started here:

http://www.gumballwizard.net/fbpages.htm

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Fusion Media
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Fusion Media »

Gumball Wizard wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:27 am
TomS wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:57 am
I believe the best shot we have at any sort of Gumball Helmet ‘museum’ can be found on Fusion Media’s FB Page.
Have you talked to Nick lately? It doesn't look like he's updated the page or posted on Facebook since March.
Life gets in the way sometimes.

I'll see what I can do about getting things updated soon.

As for the topic, back in 2007-08, when gumball helmets were brought back, it was the exact same style as the helmet tracker sets. They had the solid facemasks with the bar that goes inside the helmet. I have a ton of them from when I had the idea of stripping the printed on graphics and using a thin flexible vinyl for custom decals.

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Gumball Wizard
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Re: Riddell Style Vending

Post by Gumball Wizard »

Fusion Media wrote:
Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:50 pm
Gumball Wizard wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:27 am
TomS wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:57 am
I believe the best shot we have at any sort of Gumball Helmet ‘museum’ can be found on Fusion Media’s FB Page.
Have you talked to Nick lately? It doesn't look like he's updated the page or posted on Facebook since March.
Life gets in the way sometimes.
Better life than the alternative. 8-)

To illustrate the difference in the modern varieties, the first pic shows the outward similarity between the "tracker" helmet (left) and the other.

Image

Below shows the "tracker" helmet's facemask has an inner piece that fits inside the helmet and the facemask is removable. In the other, the outer part is glued permanently to the face of the helmet.

Image

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