Funny Money
$10
ZACK DANGER BROWN recently hit the big time on the crowd-funding website Kickstarter with his project to make a bowl of potato salad. He asked for $10 and raised more than $50,000. But not every idea in search of money is a successful one, especially when it comes to sports. Here's a rundown of some of the craziest projects you won't be seeing anytime soon. The loss is theirs.
TEQBALL
seeking $288,868
raised: $5,181
Look at the numbers: Soccer and table tennis are two of the most popular participatory sports in the world. So why not combine them? Minus the paddles. On a weird curved table. In a room big enough to house half a basketball court. O.K., maybe not.
GRYPPERS
seeking $50,000
raised: $1,338
These nylon sleeves for your fingers were supposed to make holding and catching a ball easier. Sadly for their creator, the wisdom of the crowd saw the entertainment value of fumbles, flubs and dropped passes.
PROHAND
seeking $8,000
raised: $20
A good shot blocker is hard to find, especially when you're working on your ability to finish at the rim. Hence, an arm extender that would allow anyone to simulate the presence of a 7-foot defender seemed like an obvious need. Alas, it was not.
LEARN 2 PLAY
seeking $165,000
raised: $125
Kids spend more time in front of a screen than playing sports. So, with no hint of irony, Learn 2 Play created an app to teach little ones how to play sports. The project has stalled; it looks like aspiring young athletes might still have to go outside.
SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE
Eric Brooks, a hard-core Nationals fan, showed up at two games last week with his BEARD SHAPED INTO THE TEAM LOGO.
PHOTO
DEBBI SMIRNOFF/GETTY IMAGES (POTATO SALAD)
FOUR PHOTOS
KICKSTARTER.COM (TEQBALL, GRYPPERS, PROHAND, LEARN 2 PLAY)
PHOTO
INSTAGRAM (NATIONALS FAN)